title: T cell responses to synthetic thyroid peroxidase peptides in autoimmune thyroid disease.
abstract: Sixteen peptides, representing four different extracellular regions of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) predicted to contain a high proportion of potential T cell epitopes, were synthesized to investigate which parts of this autoantigen may be targets for the T cell response in thyroid autoimmunity. Compared with 25 controls, peripheral blood T cells from 23-37% of 30 patients with Graves' disease or autoimmune hypothyroidism were stimulated significantly by three peptides, representing amino acids 415-432, 439-457 and 463-481 of the TPO sequence; T cells from individual patients were also stimulated by several other peptides. These results indicate that the T cell response to TPO is directed against several epitopes which may be recognized by different patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge Clinical School, Addenbrooke's Hospital, England, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Weetman
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000939:Epitopes; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000276:immunology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D000939:Epitopes; D010455:Peptides; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase