Expression of Protein 4.1R as the distinguishing feature of hyperplastic thymus tissue with myasthenia gravis

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the expressions of protein 4.1R in three different pathological category of thymus in patients with myasthenia gravis and discuss the relevance between the expression of protein 4.1R and the pathogenesis of MG. Methods: The expressions of protein 4.1R were detected by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical method in 33 thymus tissues of myasthenia gravis (20 cases of hyperplastic thymus, 7 cases of thymoma, 6 cases of atrophic thymus) and 10 thymus tissues of control. Results: It’s showed by immunohistochemical staining that protein 4.1R was expressed in thymus tissues and more widely distributed in hyperplastic thymus with the feature of most in the cytoplasm and few in the nucleus of thymocytes. The expression of protein 4.1R in hyperplastic thymus of MG patients was significantly increased compared to the control (1.55×10±4.60×10 versus 9.79 ×10±1.79×10, P<0.05). RT-PCR showed that 4.1R mRNA was significantly increased in MG thymus tissues contrast to the control (0.76±0.33 versus 0.43±0.39, P< 0.05), while no significant difference between the thymoma group and thymic atrophy group (0.84±0.46 versus 0.67±0.10, P> 0.05). Conclusion: Protein 4.1R can be constitutively expressed in thymus tissue, significantly in hyperplastic thymus. It’s suggested that protein 4.1R may act as the distinguishing feature of hyperplastic thymus tissue with MG. [Gao Feng, Zhao Ying, Cui Xinzheng, Li Qianru, Fang Hua, Du Ying, Zhang Qingyong. Expression of Protein 4.1R as the distinguishing feature of hyperplastic thymus tissue with myasthenia gravis. Life Sci J 2014;11(4):135-139]. (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 18