Peripheral blood T lymphocyte sensitization to thyroid microsomal antigen from patients with Graves' disease negative for circulating anti-thyroid microsomal antibodies.
We have studied thyrocyte HLA-DR expression induced by supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated by thyroid microsomal antigen (TMA), as an index of sensitization of the T lymphocyte in autoimmune thyroid diseases; we have studied PBMC from 11 normal control persons and 19 patients with Graves' disease (GD) in whom serum anti-thyroid microsomal antibodies (AMA) were either not detectable (9 patients) or were positive (10 patients). Thyrocyte HLA-DR induction in response to TMA-treated PBMC supernatants from GD was significantly different from that of normal controls (p less than 0.05, ANOVA). TMA-stimulated GD PBMC supernatants increased thyrocyte HLA-DR index [TMA 1 ng/ml, SI 143 +/- 82 (mean +/- SD), p less than 0.05], but normal PBMC supernatants did not. However there was no significant difference in response in terms of the thyrocyte HLA-DR expression induced by TMA-stimulated PBMC supernatants between AMA seronegative vs seropositive GD. These results suggest the possibility of some dissociation of the activities of T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes in patients with GD in response to thyroid microsomal antigen with or without anti-thyroid microsomal antibodies.
Matsubayashi
S
S
Endocrinology Research Laboratory, Wellesley Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario.
Sakatsume
Y
Y
Kasuga
Y
Y
Akasu
F
F
Tamai
H
H
Volpé
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; C056626:thyroid microsomal antibodies; C056658:TPO protein, human; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase