Anti-mitochondrial antibodies in patients with Graves' disease may not signify primary biliary cirrhosis.
Two patients with Graves' disease were incidentally found to have anti-mitochondrial antibodies by immunofluorescence in the absence of symptoms, clinical signs or biochemical evidence of liver dysfunction. Anti-mitochondrial antibody titres became undetectable in both patients on follow-up. Screening of the patients' sera by immunoblotting against the purified antigens of the M2 complex was negative. We conclude that in these cases, anti-mitochondrial antibodies detected by immunofluorescence were directed against antigens other than the primary biliary cirrhosis-associated M2 complex and therefore did not signify subclinical primary biliary cirrhosis.
Perros
P
P
Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Palmer
J M
JM
Yeaman
S J
SJ
Kendall-Taylor
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies