Lack of detection of retroviral particles (HIAP-1) in the H9 T cell line co-cultured with thyrocytes of Graves' disease.
Evidence for a possible aetiopathogenetic role of endogenous and/or exogenous retroviruses (RVs) in organ- and non-organ-specific autoimmune diseases is circumstantial in both humans and animal models. Intracisternal A type particles, antigenically related to HIV, have been reported in H9 cells co-cultured with homogenates of salivary glands obtained from patients with Sjögren syndrome and with synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In order to identify a possible transfer of a putative 'infective RV agent' involved in the pathogenesis of human thyroid autoimmune disease, the H9 T cell line was co-cultured not only with thyroid homogenates, but also with viable thyrocytes, both prepared from glands of patients with Graves' disease. At the end of a prolonged co-culture period (24 weeks), no RV particles could be detected by electron microscopy in the H9 cells co-cultured with both thyroid preparations. These data seem to exclude the involvement of HIAP-1 in the aetiopathogenesis of human autoimmune thyroid disease.
Fierabracci
A
A
Department of Immunology, St Bartholomew's and Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary and Westfield College, London, UK.
Upton
C P
CP
Hajibagheri
N
N
Bottazzo
G F
GF
D002460:Cell Line; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology*; D014771:Virion