Endemic cretinism: possible role for thyroid autoimmunity.
Thyroid atrophy, rather than goitre, is a characteristic feature of myxoedematous cretinism but its cause and nature are unknown. In this study, purified IgG fractions of serum from patients with myxoedematous endemic cretinism inhibited thyrotropin-induced DNA synthesis in guineapig thyroid segments in a sensitive cytochemical bioassay. IgG from patients with euthyroid neurological endemic cretinism or from normal subjects did not inhibit thyroid growth. Furthermore, in myxoedematous subjects, the presence of the thyroid-growth-blocking immunoglobulins showed a positive relation with thyroid atrophy found on ultrasound. These findings provide a pathogenic basis for the variable clinical expression of endemic cretinism.
Boyages
S C
SC
Department of Medicine, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Halpern
J P
JP
Maberly
G F
GF
Eastman
C J
CJ
Chen
J
J
Wang
Z H
ZH
van der Gaag
R D
RD
Drexhage
H A
HA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D003409:Congenital Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009230:Myxedema / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000276:immunology; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013954:Thyroglobulin