Future perspectives in target-specific immunotherapies of myasthenia gravis

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease caused by complement-fixing antibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChR); antigen-specific CD4+ T cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs) and T helper (Th) 17+ cells are essential in antibody production. Target-specific therapeutic interventions should therefore be directed against antibodies, B cells, complement and molecules associated with T cell signaling. Even though the progress in the immunopathogenesis of the disease probably exceeds any other autoimmune disorder, MG is still treated with traditional drugs or procedures that exert a non-antigen specific immunosuppression or immunomodulation. Novel biological agents currently on the market, directed against the following molecular pathways, are relevant and specific therapeutic targets that can be tested in MG: (a) T cell intracellular signaling molecules, such as anti-CD52, anti-interleukin (IL) 2 receptors, anti- costimulatory molecules, and anti-Janus tyrosine kinases (JAK1, JAK3) that block the intracellular cascade associated with T-cell activation; (b) B cells and their trophic factors, directed against key B-cell molecules; (c) complement C3 or C5, intercepting the destructive effect of complement-fixing antibodies; (d) cytokines and cytokine receptors, such as those targeting IL-6 which promotes antibody production and IL-17, or the p40 subunit of IL-12/1L-23 that affect regulatory T cells; and (e) T and B cell transmigration molecules associated with lymphocyte egress from the lymphoid organs. All drugs against these molecular pathways require testing in controlled trials, although some have already been tried in small case series. Construction of recombinant AChR antibodies that block binding of the pathogenic antibodies, thereby eliminating complement and antibody-depended-cell-mediated cytotoxicity, are additional novel molecular tools that require exploration in experimental MG.