title: Cold reactive lymphocytotoxic activity in autoimmune thyroid disease.
abstract: An increased incidence of cold-reactive lymphocytotoxic activity (LCTA) has been demonstrated in the sera of patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. Twenty-six of 79 (33%) patients with Graves' disease and 9 of 21 (43%) patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis had cold-reactive LCTA detected by microcytotoxicity assay compared to 6 of 42 (14%) normal controls. There was no correlation between LCTA and age, sex, MCHA titre or TGHA titre. A positive correlation with FTI and LCTA in Hashimoto's patients was demonstrated, but no such correlation was demonstrable in Graves' patients. The lymphocytotoxic activity was directed preferentially against B cells. There was no preferential lysis of T-cell subsets as defined by monoclonal antibodies, and the lymphocytotoxins were equally reactive with normal lymphocytes and toxic Graves' lymphocytes. The significance of cold-reactive lymphocytotoxic activity in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disease remains to be determined.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha