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Introduction

This article should be considered as a continuation to ‘Myasthenia Gravis – a neuromuscular disease’ written by Ron Campeanu. This article will introduce some fresh ideas about the possible causes of myasthenia gravis (and other autoimmune diseases) and some ideas on what may help alleviate the symptoms or help the body regain health.

The reader is now made aware that although the name of a disease has been attributed to them that they are unique in that to rid themselves of any disease, it is essentially a path of persistence using all modalities that are available to them. There is seldom a quick fix for a disease as the pathophysiology of any disease may be the result of numerous errors in the body’s immune system over a long period of time and due to multiple factors.

Tolerance of acquired immunity system to tissues – the role of preprocessing in the thymus and bone marrow. If a person becomes immune to their own tissues the body would be destroyed by the acquired immunity. The immune mechanism normally recognizes a persons tissues as distinct from invaders and the immune system forms few if any antibodies or acquired T cells against its own antigens and is a phenomenon known as self tolerance to the body’s own tissues.

Most tolerance results from clone selection during preprocessing.

The belief is that most of the phenomenon of tolerance develops during the preprocessing of T lymphocytes in the thymus and B lymphocytes in the bone marrow. The reason for this is that the injection of a strong antigen into a fetus at the time of preprocessing of lymphocytes in these two areas will prevent lymphocyte clones specific to the antigen in lymphoid tissue.

It has been shown that specific immature T lymphocytes when exposed to a strong antigen become lymphoblastic, multiply and combine with the antigen. This effect causes the lymphocytes to be destroyed by the thymic epithelial cells before any release into lymphoid tissue. If lymphoid tissue is affected, look to the thymus as the most possible source of the immune problem.

Normally, during preprocessing of lymphocytes in the thymus and bone marrow most if not all clones specific to the body’s own tissues will be destroyed during exposure and matching against to the body’s antigens. In a healthy body this matching goes well and all reactive cells are destroyed before release to the lymphoid tissues.

Failure of the tolerance mechanism causes autoimmune diseases.

With increasing age there is more chance that a person will form immunity to their own tissues.

Autoimmunity

This autoimmunity usually happens after a destruction of some of the body’s tissues releasing self-antigens into tissues causing acquired immunity of activated T cells or antibodies.

Diseases resulting from autoimmunity

Rheumatic fever (joints, heart) – the body becomes immunized against tissues in the joints and heart valves, after exposure to a strain of streptococcal toxin.

Glomerulonephritis(kidney) – at least one type where immunization occurs against glomeruli basement membranes

Myasthenia Gravis(muscle) – immunity occurs in the neuromuscular junction acetylcholine protein receptors – result is paralysis.

Lupus Erythmatosis(systemic) – immunization against many tissues all at the same time resulting in severe cellular damage and very often, death.

Vaccination

Vaccination causes acquired immunity against specific diseases. Here are some methods used for vaccination.

Dead organisms with chemical antigens still intact are injected to protect against diseases such as typhoid fever, whooping cough, diphtheria and other bacterial diseases. Chemically treated toxins with their toxic nature inactive but their antigens for causing immunity intact. Used for vaccination against tetanus, botulism and similar toxic diseases.

Attenuated live organisms. Organisms that have been cultured or passed through a series of animals until their mutations no longer cause disease but still carry the specific antigen. Used to protect against poliomyelitis, yellow fever, measles, smallpox and other viral diseases.

Function of the Immune System

The immune system is a network of interacting cellular and soluble components. The function is to distinguish entities in the body as self and non-self and to eliminate the non-self. The main non-self entities are microorganisms, but neoplasms, transplants and foreign substances (toxins) are also important. The immune system uses specific and non-specific immunity which are linked and influence each other.

Nonspecific(Innate) immunity is present at birth, does not need an encounter with an offending substance and does not develop memory. This includes physical barriers such as skin and gastric acid.

There are two cellular components. The phagocytic system which ingests and digests invading microorganisms and natural killer cells which kill some tumours, microorganisms and virally infected cells. Phagocytes include neutrophils and monocytes in the blood and macrophages in the tissues. Macrophages are widely spread at the interface of tissues and blood and cavity spaces. For example, alveolar macrophages in the lungs, Kupffer cells in liver sinusoids, synovial cells in joint cavities, perivascular microglial cells in the Central Nervous System (CNS) lining and mesangial phagocytes in kidneys.

The soluble components are complement proteins, acute phase reactants and cytokines. Cytokines are nonimmunoglobulin polypeptides secreted by monocytes and lymphocytes in response to a specific antigen, a non-specific antigen or a non-specific soluble stimulus such as an endotoxin or other cytokine. Cytokines affect the magnitude of inflammatory or immune responses. Cytokines are not antigen specific and cover innate and adaptive immunity.

Specific immunity can learn, is adaptable and retains memory. The cellular component is the lymphocyte and soluble component is the immunoglobulins.

As we have discovered, lymphocytes are either thymus (T cell) or bone marrow (B cell) derived. Lymphocytes are clonally distributed and the thymus reacts each lymphocyte clone with a specific antigen via the antigen receptor. The lymphocytes antigen receptor gene can combine in what may be limitless combinations and arrangements.

The B cells antigen receptor is mediated by Surface Immunoglobulins. As with the T lymphocytes – antigen arrangements, the B cell binds soluble antigens via their surface immunoglobulins. A series of events results in the secretion of immunoglobulin which is the specific antibody for that antigen. Immunoglobulin gene rearrangements generate antibodies during B cell maturation in the bone marrow. To add to the diversity of possible immunoglobulin – antigen arrangements there is the addition of random nucleotides, by somatic point mutations and by segmental inaccuracy.

Genes that encode the T cell receptor belong to the immunoglobulin gene superfamily and subject to recombination resulting in an even larger number of T cell clones each with its own antigen response.

Other ideas on treatment

Stem cell therapy.

Stem cell therapy may well help with treatment. There is a relatively new idea using an autologous stem cell therapy. Here, dormant stem cells are harvested by liposuction of about 100ml of abdominal fat, cleaning up, activating the stem cells and reinjecting, all performed in four hours and the patient goes home or back to work. No side affects or rejection is possible as the stem cells are from their own body. Costs for this treatment vary across countries but as a guide it will be twenty to thirty thousand dollars.

Improve the immune response using antioxidants

As with all diseases there is no known ‘silver bullet’. As such it is recommended to apply a holistic approach to improvement over time. Exercise is an important part of any health improvement – it moves toxic lymph, helps detox the body and stimulates the immune system when done in moderation.

Excessive exercise can lead to health issues and is not recommended – use a common sense approach – don’t push beyond a sensible level.

Use a powerful antioxidant formula such as CoQ10Sport (read more on the website) as a base protocol and then add supplements such as mineral formulations (Cell Food – available in most countries) and amino acids to help support the function and structure of tissues. Primarily, it is important to stimulate the mitochondria. CoQ10Sport contains both coenzyme q10 and lipoic acid – this powerful blend supports the immune system and aids the mitochondria to proliferate thereby producing substantial energy as adenosine triphosphate(ATP). ATP is a most important ingredient in supporting the health and function of cells.

Diet

Employ the advice of a suitable practitioner for appropriate diet. A diet consisting of fresh and raw food will beat any other diet when it comes to health improvement – it is advised to get assistance. As a disease is the result of multiple and random variations in the immune system, it is a compelling argument to support the function of the immune system.

It is recommended to use a suitable practitioner to manage any protocol.

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