Estrogen binding sites in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and thymocytes from 2 myasthenia gravis patients.

In the present investigation the estrogen binding capacity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and thymocytes from 2 young female Myasthenia Gravis (MG) patients has been studied. We found high levels of estrogen binding sites in both pre-thymectomy PBMC and lymphoid cells from the hyperplastic thymuses of the MG patients. A sucrose density gradient analysis revealed that the estrogen was binding to macromolecular species similar to those characterized in cytosols from classical estrogen target organs. A post-thymectomy time-dependent decrease of the estrogen binding capacity was also observed in PBMC, reaching levels similar to that of sex- and age-matched controls.