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Original

Infrequent and low AIRE expression in thymoma: Difference in AIRE expression among WHO subtypes does not correlate with association of MG

, , &
Pages 377-382 | Received 12 Dec 2007, Accepted 08 Feb 2008, Published online: 07 Jul 2009
 

Abstract

Thymoma is frequently associated with autoimmune diseases, including myasthenia gravis (MG). The failure of thymoma microenvironment to induce T cell tolerance may be responsible for its association of MG. Autoimmune regulator (AIRE) expression in the medullary thymic epithelial cells has been reported to play a role in presenting autoantigen and induction of tolerance. We studied AIRE mRNA in 45 thymomas and three normal thymi using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Only 23/45 (51.1%) of thymomas expressed AIRE mRNA at low levels while all normal thymi expressed AIRE mRNA. There was no correlation between AIRE mRNA and association of MG or presence of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody. The infrequent and low expression of AIRE mRNA may play a role the induction of autoimmune diseases but other factors also seem to be involved.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr Masanobu Maeda for providing valuable normal thymus samples.

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