Clinical applications of assays for thyrotropin-receptor antibodies in Graves' disease.
Graves' disease is characterized by hyperthyroidism, diffuse goitre, infiltrative ophthalmopathy and, rarely, pretibial myxedema. In 1956 a substance capable of prolonged thyroid stimulation was discovered in the serum of some patients with Graves' disease and termed long-acting thyroid stimulator (LATS). It was shown to be an antibody that could interact with the receptor for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The term LATS is usually reserved for the activity measured in a laborious in-vivo bioassay in mice. Today the activity of TSH-receptor antibodies (TSH-R Ab) can be measured by in-vitro bioassays or by radioreceptor assays. These assays are now becoming commercially available. TSH-R Ab assays may be useful in predicting the response to therapy for Graves' disease, investigating euthyroid ophthalmopathy and predicting the likelihood of neonatal hyperthyroidism.
J
J
Ginsberg
C
C
von Westarp
D000818:Animals; D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D001681:Biological Assay; D002460:Cell Line; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008135:Long-Acting Thyroid Stimulator / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000276:immunology
D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin; D013972:Thyrotropin; D008135:Long-Acting Thyroid Stimulator; D000242:Cyclic AMP