P39: Effects of TNIP1/TNFAIP3 expression: implications for myasthenia gravis

Background: NF-κB pathway participates in the process of a variety of auto-immune diseases, TNIP1 and TNFAIP3 are crucial negative-regulating factors for this pathways. The aim of this study is to figure out whether TNIP1/TNFAIP3 plays a positive role on the occurrence of myasthenia gravis (MG).

Methods: Real-time PCR was applied to quantify the expression level of TNIP1 and TNFAIP3 in thymocytes from 11 MG patients and 12 heart surgery cases. The difference of TNIP1 expression of MG thymocytes and normal thymocytes was evaluated. Similarly, the comparison of these two cohorts for TNFAIP3 expression was conducted.

Results: TNIP1 expression in MG thymocytes was lower than normal thymocytes significantly. However, no difference was detected when it came to the analysis of TNFAIP3.

Conclusions: Decrease of TNIP1 expression devotes to the occurrence of MG possibly.

Keywords: Myasthenia gravis (MG); TNIP1; TNFAIP3