Work

Impacts of tacrolimus and glucocorticoids on peripheral blood T and B lymphocyte subsets in myasthenia gravis

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background This study aimed to investigate the impact of tacrolimus on peripheral T and B lymphocyte subsets in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients compared to glucocorticoid treatment. Methods This study retrospectively included MG patients at the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University between January 2021 and December 2024. Patients were grouped based on immunotherapy received: tacrolimus (TAC) or glucocorticoids (GC). Peripheral blood samples were assessed for T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) and B lymphocyte subsets (CD19+), alongside clinical parameters. Results A total of 46 MG patients were included, with 23 patients in each treatment group. Baseline characteristics, including sex, age at onset, antibody profile, and thymic pathology, were comparable between the two groups (all P > 0.05), except for a significantly higher proportion of generalized MG in the TAC group (P = 0.017). Following treatment, the TAC group demonstrated a significantly lower absolute count of CD3+CD4+ T cells compared to the GC group (663.4 ± 345.5 × 106/L vs. 952.5 ± 513.9 × 106/L, P = 0.030). Additionally, the percentage of peripheral B cells in the tacrolimus group decreased significantly after treatment (from 11.8 ± 4.7% to 9.4 ± 4.4%, P = 0.006). In contrast, patients treated with glucocorticoids showed significant post-treatment increases in the absolute counts of CD3+, CD3+CD4+, and CD3+CD8+ T cells (all P = 0.001). Conclusion Compared with patients receiving glucocorticoid therapy, those treated with tacrolimus exhibited significantly lower levels of peripheral CD3+CD4+ T cells after treatment. These findings provide insight into the differential immunomodulatory effects of these therapies in MG.

Source: Frontiers in Immunology

DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1667799

Authors: Xuan Wu, Wei Chen, Huanhuan Song, Guorong Xu

Institutions: Fujian Medical University, First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University

Language: English

Topic: Myasthenia Gravis and Thymoma

Subfield: Neurology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801