Objective: To evaluate the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) alpha and GRbeta in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients of myasthenia gravis (MG). To investigate the relationship between the expression level of GR and glucocorticoid (GC) therapeutic effects to MG patients.
Methods: The clinical score was recorded and used to assessing the therapeutic effects. Then the expression level of GRalpha and GRbeta in PBMC by immunocytochemistry was measured. We analysed the relationship of the therapeutic effects with expression level of GR.
Results: The scores of GRalpha positive PBMC score were same in healthy-control group, GC sensitive group, and GC dependent group. But GRalpha positive PBMC score in GC resistance group was decreased compared with the others (P < 0.01). The scores of GRbeta positive PBMC score were same in healthy-control group, GC sensitive group, and GC resistant group. But GRbeta positive PBMC score in GC dependent group was increased compared with the others (P < 0.01).
Conclusions: The expression of GRalpha in GC resistant group are decreased, and the expression of GRbeta in GC dependence group is increased. The expression level of GRalpha or GRbeta is associated with the effect of GC in treatment of MG.