3,4-Diaminopyridine improves neuromuscular transmission in a MuSK antibody-induced mouse model of myasthenia gravis.

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of 3,4-diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP), a potent potentiator of transmitter release, on neuromuscular transmission in vivo in a mouse model of myasthenia gravis (MG) caused by antibodies against muscle-specific kinase (MuSK; MuSK-MG) and ex vivo in diaphragm muscle from these mice. 3,4-DAP significantly improved neuromuscular transmission, predominantly by increasing acetylcholine (ACh) release, supporting presynaptic potentiation as an effective treatment strategy for MuSK-MG patients who have defective transmitter release. In MuSK-MG, we suggest that only low-dose acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors be used to avoid side effects, and we propose that 3,4-DAP may be effective as a symptomatic therapy.