BAFF serum levels in myasthenia gravis: effects of therapy

B-lymphocyte activating factor (BAFF) is a key survival factor for B lymphocytes. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an antibody-mediated disease of neuromuscular transmission. Most MG patients have serum antibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR). Anti-AChR positive MG is associated with thymus alterations, such as follicular hyperplasia and thymoma. The aim of our study was to evaluate serum BAFF levels in MG patients in different phases of their disease and the effects of therapy. We tested serum samples from 66 MG patients. No patient had anti-muscle specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibodies. BAFF levels were measured by quantitative ELISA. Mean serum BAFF levels were significantly higher in the MG population than in controls. We confirm previous observations that serum BAFF levels are increased in MG, although with no relation with disease severity. In MG patients under IS therapy BAFF mean level was significantly decreased in comparison with the untreated population and controls.