The role of the thymus in spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis.
In two models of genetically determined, spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis, neonatal thymectomy increases the incidience and severity of disease. The simpliest explanation is that the thymus, or thymus-derived cells, normally exert a suppressive effect on the autoimmune response to thyroglobulin in addition to the helper function that is necessary to initiate the autoimmune reaction.
D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000276:immunology; D002645:Chickens; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007668:Kidney; D008099:Liver; D009765:Obesity; D051381:Rats; D011915:Rats, Inbred BUF; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013934:Thymectomy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D013954:Thyroglobulin; D013966:Thyroiditis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control
D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D013954:Thyroglobulin