cyclic-gmp and Myasthenia-Gravis

Topics: Acetylcholine; Adenylyl Cyclases; Animals; Brain; Cyclic AMP; Cyclic GMP; Diaphragm; Humans; Muscle Contraction; Myasthenia Gravis; Papaverine; Rats; Stimulation, Chemical; Sympathetic Nervous System; Synaptic Transmission; Theophylline; Tubocurarine

The levels of cAMP and cGMP in serum of 100 patients with myasthenia gravis have been measured by 125I-RIA. The results showed that cAMP and cGMP were higher in the patients than in the controls significantly (P < 0.001). In 33 cases of these patients after using anticholinesterase drugs and prednisone, the levels of cAMP and cGMP reduced significantly. According to our study, we presumed that there would be cyclic nucleotide acid metabolic disturbances in patients with MG and cAMP might play a regulatory role in morbidity of MG.

Topics: Cyclic AMP; Cyclic GMP; Female; Humans; Male; Myasthenia Gravis; Prednisone; Pyridostigmine Bromide

Guanylate cyclase activity has been studied in muscle of normal subjects and of patients suffering from muscular and neuromuscular diseases. In normal tissue a guanylate cyclase activity was found in both soluble and particulate fractions of homogenate. We found also that the kinetic analysis of the enzyme of soluble differed from that of particulate fraction. A decrease of guanylate cyclase activity in crude homogenate was observed in muscular dystrophies, in neuromuscular atrophies, and in inflammatory forms of muscle disease.

Topics: Cyclic GMP; Guanylate Cyclase; Humans; Mitochondria, Muscle; Muscles; Muscular Atrophy; Muscular Diseases; Muscular Dystrophies; Myasthenia Gravis; Myositis