Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40770830›Full record

ArticleClinical and translational medicine2025

Single-cell atlas reveals heterogeneous response to FcRn blockade in anti-AChR antibody-positive generalised myasthenia gravis.

Hui-Ning Li, Jingjing Liu, Xiao-Yu Huang, Lijie Zhu, Zhirui Liu, Chun-Sheng Yang, Bo Zhang, Shixiong Huang, Fu-Dong Shi, Zhigang Cai and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical and translational medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Hui-Ning LiDepartment of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Jingjing LiuTianjin Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Biology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Xiao-Yu HuangDepartment of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Lijie ZhuDepartment of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Zhirui LiuDepartment of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Chun-Sheng YangDepartment of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Bo ZhangDepartment of Neurology, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
Shixiong HuangDepartment of Neurology, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
Fu-Dong ShiDepartment of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Zhigang CaiTianjin Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Biology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.ORCID 0009-0003-2416-9951
Chao ZhangDepartment of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.ORCID 0000-0002-0659-4597

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82170173National Natural Science Foundation of China 82171777National Natural Science Foundation of China 82371789Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin Province 20JCJOJC00280
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMyasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease predominantly driven by autoantibodies targeting acetylcholine receptor (AChR), resulting in muscle weakness. Efgartigimod, a neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) blocker, reduces pathogenic immunoglobulin G in anti-AChR antibody-positive generalised MG (gMG). This study aimed to identify immune mechanisms underlying MG pathology and response to efgartigimod.

methodsWe constructed a single-cell atlas of peripheral immune cells from treatment-naïve and efgartigimod-treated patients with gMG. Comprehensive immunophenotyping was performed to compare the clonal diversity of B- and T-cell populations, alongside experimental validation to assess the activation of Th17-related pathways before and after FcRn blockade.

resultsB cells in patients with gMG exhibit heightened activation and differentiation, while T cells display distinct pro-inflammatory phenotypes. Enhanced intercellular signalling contributed to the pathogenicity associated with gMG. Efgartigimod mitigated upregulated antigen processing and presentation pathways in MG. Additionally, B-cell clonal diversity and IGHG1-bearing B-cell receptors increased. Transcriptional factor alterations were noted in suboptimal responders. Regulation of T-cell activity, particularly within Th17-related pathways, was associated with remission rates.

conclusionsThese findings underscore immune heterogeneity and dynamics during efgartigimod treatment, providing mechanistic insights into therapeutic response in gMG. KEY POINTS: Aberrant B cells and pro-inflammatory T cells contribute critically to generalised myasthenia gravis (gMG) pathogenesis. Neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) blockade induces immunoglobulin G (IgG) depletion feedback, reflected by increased class-switched BCRs. Th17 cell proliferation is attenuated following FcRn blockade. Antigen processing and presentation pathways are downregulated after FcRn blockade in gMG.

Indexed as

Histocompatibility Antigens Class IMyasthenia GravisReceptors, CholinergicReceptors, FcAdultAutoantibodiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSingle-Cell AnalysisAutoantibodiesFc receptor, neonatalHistocompatibility Antigens Class IReceptors, CholinergicReceptors, FcFcRn blockademyasthenia gravissingle‐cell RNA sequencingtherapeutic response

Identifiers

PMID40770830
PMCPMC12328247

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.