EXPRESSION OF C-MYC, C-KI-RAS AND C-HA-RAS ONCOGENE PRODUCTS IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS FROM PATIENTS WITH MYASTHENIA-GRAVIS

The oncogene products of c-myc, c-Ki-ras and c-Ha-ras and the subsets of natural killer cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM C) from 39 patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and 40 healthy individ uals were studied by immunocytochemical procedures. The MG patients sh owed an increased expression of c-myc, c-Ki-ras and c-Ha-ras oncoprote ins in both lymphocytes and monocytes compared to those of healthy ind ividuals (P<0.01, P<0.005 and P<0.00) respectively). On the contrary, the number of Leu-7-Leu-11c+ cells of MG patients was less than that o f healthy controls (P<0.05). The oncogene expressions in PBMC of MG pa tients correlated positively with white blood cell counts, total natur al killer cell counts (NK), Leu-7+Leu-11c+ of NK cell subset, gamma-gl obulin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and serum immunoglobulins; the oncogene expressions were negatively correlated with the Leu-7+Leu-11c -NK subset. Thus, the increased expressions of c-myc, c-Ki-ras and c-H a-ras oncoproteins accompanying the decreased Leu-7-Leu-11c+NK cell in MG PBMC are likely responsible for the acceleration of the clinical m anifestations in MG patients.