Decrease of concanavalin-A activated and short lived suppressor T cell function in thyrotoxicosis.
Function of short lived and concanavalin-A activated suppressor T cells of peripheral blood was studied in patients with thyrotoxicosis and normal individuals. It was found that the activity of short lived and concanavalin-A activated suppressort T cells decreased in untreated patients. Function of concanavalin-A activated suppressor cells relatively increased in euthyroid stage induced by methimazole treatment but failed to reach the normal level. Both the short lived and Concanavalin-A activated suppressor cell activity proved to be in inverse relationships with titres of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies and transformation indices to human thyroglobulin. These findings suggest a possible role of suppressor T cell function in the pathogenesis of Graves' disease.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D002470:Cell Survival; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008713:Methimazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000276:immunology
D000906:Antibodies; D003208:Concanavalin A; D008713:Methimazole; D013954:Thyroglobulin