Steroid receptors in the myasthenic thymus
Brentani, M.M.; Martins, V.R.; Marchiori, P.E.
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 20(5): 569-572
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0100-879X PMID: 3452447 Document Number: 288113
Estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), androgen (AR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) were evaluated in thymus cytosols from 15 myasthenia gravis (MG) patients, using a dextran charcoal assay. ER was found in 40%, PR and AR in 53% and GR in 100% of MG thymi. Competition studies demonstrated steroid specificity for all receptors. Mean ER and AR levels in MG thymi were higher than those in the thymi of 4 control children. Female patients have higher AR titers. Myasthenic thymi presented lower GR values than in normal controls: Differences in steroid receptor content observed in the MG thymus as compared to the child thymus may reflect variations in cell populations.