Recent progress in TSH receptor studies with a new concept of "autoimmune TSH receptor disease".
Recent progress in the studies of epitope analysis of the TSH-R against TSH-R Ab was reviewed extensively. Using both site-directed mutagenesis and synthetic TSH-R peptide, binding and/or action sites of TSH-R Ab have been known to be multiple and discontinuous, but the significance of two unique and TSH-R specific regions has been implicated. Further, the possible existence of heterogeneity among stimulatory TSH-R Ab has also been indicated. As for immunogenetic factors related to autoimmune thyroid diseases, studies on HLA analysis, TSH-R specific T lymphocyte analysis and VH analysis of TSH-R Ab were discussed. Of note was the negative association of HLA-DP w2 antigen in Japanese patients with Graves' disease and hypothyroidism due to blocking TSH-R Ab, and we proposed a new concept of autoimmune TSH receptor disease within autoimmune thyroid disease and emphasized possible critical roles of HLA-DP. Recent evidence of restricted usage of the Ig VH gene in cloned B lymphocytes from Graves' patients producing TSH-R Ab has also been presented.
Mori
T
T
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kyoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
Akamizu
T
T
Kosugi
S
S
Sugawa
H
H
Inoue
D
D
Okuda
J
J
Ueda
Y
Y
D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes; D006801:Humans; D007125:Immunogenetics; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin / Q000276:immunology*
D000939:Epitopes; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin