2. Academic Validation
  3. Platelet activation plays a pro-inflammatory role in myasthenia gravis

Platelet activation plays a pro-inflammatory role in myasthenia gravis

  • Nat Commun. 2025 Oct 2;16(1):8779. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-63750-2.
Qi Wen # 1 2 3,  Shu Zhang # 1,  Yaye Wang # 1,  Haoran Liu # 1,  Jingsi Wang 1,  Shengyao Su 1,  Nairong Xie 1,  Yan Lu 1,  Li Di 1,  Min Xu 1,  Min Wang 1,  Hai Chen 1,  Suobin Wang 1,  Wenjia Zhu 1,  Xinmei Wen 1,  Jinming Han 4,  Dongshan Wan 4,  Shufang Zhao 4,  Wanting Lu 4,  Zhen Tao 5,  Jianying Duo 1,  Yue Huang 1,  Guoliang Chai 4,  Ruisheng Duan 6,  Xiaoli Li 7,  Junwei Hao 8,  Yuwei Da 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
  • 2 Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
  • 3 Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
  • 4 Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
  • 5 Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease Research and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
  • 6 Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China.
  • 7 Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China. li2006xl@163.com.
  • 8 Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. haojunwei@vip.163.com.
  • 9 Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. dayuwei100@hotmail.com.
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 41038808 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63750-2
Abstract

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder that disrupts neuromuscular junction function through autoantibodies. Platelets are emerging as key players in the pathogenesis of MG, bridging innate and adaptive immunity. We analyze platelet transcriptome signatures and their interactions with the immune system in AChR+ immunotherapy-naïve MG (nMG) patients using bulk and single-cell RNA Sequencing on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). nMG patients exhibit upregulation of genes related to activation, inflammation, and cytoskeletal regulation. Increased platelet count, activation, altered morphology, enhanced CD62P expression, and elevated plasma CD40L levels are observed in PBMCs, which diminish with minimal clinical status (MMS). Functionally, platelets show heightened interactions with leukocytes, forming aggregates that correlate with disease severity. These features return to baseline after intravenous immunoglobulin or prolonged immunosuppressive therapy. This study underscores platelet activation's critical role in MG and supports platelet-targeted therapy.

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