Anti-acetylcholinesterase antibodies associate with ocular myasthenia gravis.

In MG, anti-AChR or anti-MuSK abs impair neuromuscular transmission. Partial inhibition of AChE can ameliorate symptoms, while a complete block causes a cholinergic blockade. We found anti-AChE abs in 115/240 MG patients, with no correlation with sex, age at onset, thymus pathology, presence of anti-AChR or anti-MuSK antibodies. We found a correlation with the ocular form of the disease, and with milder forms of MG not requiring immunosuppressants; moreover, when we considered only those patients who were off AChEI therapy, we found that ocular patients were positive for anti-AChE abs, while generalized patients were negative. According to an experimental model, we hypothesize that anti-AChE abs could contribute to ptosis through an inhibition of the sympathetic innervation of the tarsal muscle.