Suppression of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis in IL-10 gene-disrupted mice is associated with reduced B cells and serum cytotoxicity on mouse cell line expressing AChR

To analyze the role of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in experimental autoimmune my asthenia gravis (EAMG) pathogenesis, we induced clinical EAMG in C57BL/6 an d IL-10 gene-knockout (KO) mice. LL-IO KO mice had a Lower incidence and se verity of EARAG, with less muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) loss. AChR- immunized IL-10 KO mice showed a significantly higher AChR-specific prolife rative response, altered cytokine response, lower number of class II-positi ve cells and B-cells, but a greater CD5(+)CD19(+) population than C57BL/6 m ice. The lower clinical incidence in IL-10 KO could be explained not by a r eduction of the quantity, but by a possible difference in the pathogenicity of anti-AChR antibodies. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.