title: Increased fetal abortion rate in autoimmune thyroid disease is related to circulating TPO autoantibodies in an autoimmune thyroiditis animal model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the fertility and abortion rates in a mouse model of autoimmune thyroiditis and its relationship with circulating anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  C57bl/6 mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female C57bl/6 mice immunized with recombinant mouse TPO (rmTPO) in complete Freund adjuvant (CFA) or glutathione-S-transferase (GST-CFA) were allowed to mate. The pregnant mice were killed on day 14 of pregnancy for assessment of fetal development. The effects of TPO antibody on preimplantation embryo development and implantation rate were also studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Litter size, resorption rate, preimplantation embryo development, and implantation rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All of the mice immunized with rmTPO-CFA possessed anti-TPO antibody. They had reduced litter size and increased incidence of resorbed fetus compared with the control. Higher serum TSH levels, but not T(4) levels, were demonstrated after rmTPO-CFA immunization. Anti-TPO antibody bound to preimplantation embryos. Treatment of the embryos with the antibody marginally decreased the formation of 3/4-cell embryos but had no effect on the subsequent development and implantation compared with the nonimmune control sera.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autoimmune thyroiditis is associated with reduced fertility and higher incidence of fetal loss. The anti-TPO antibody may affect post-implantation embryo development, leading to fetal loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yin Lau
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hang Pong
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Kam Shing
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Wei Min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wai Sum
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: O
authors.forename: William S B
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Annie W C
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Kung
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008098:Litter Size; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology*; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000276:immunology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D013972:Thyrotropin; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase; D013974:Thyroxine