The relation of thyroid auto-immunity to round-celled infiltration of the thyroid gland.
The relationship between thyroid auto-immunity and the presence of lymphocytes in the thyroid gland has been analysed in patients with Graves' disease, toxic adenoma, and non-toxic nodular goitre. In all these conditions circulating antibody to thyroglobulin was significantly associated with lymphocytic infiltration. No similar correlation was established in the case of the complement-fixing antibody.Complement-fixing antibody was significantly commoner in Graves' disease (diffuse thyrotoxic goitre) than in toxic adenoma and non-toxic nodular goitre. Circulating thyroglobulin antibody probably originates from lymphoid tissue within and around the thyroid gland itself. Overactivity of pituitary thyrotropin may favour immunization to the intracellular (complementfixing) antigen.
D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006111:Graves Disease; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D013954:Thyroglobulin; D013972:Thyrotropin
D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007136:Immunoglobulins; C006606:anti-thyroglobulin; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013954:Thyroglobulin
HYPERTHYROIDISM