Abstract
GRAVES' DISEASE (GD) is an autoimmune disorder associated with the formation of thyroid antibodies, one class of which, thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TSAb), is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis1–3. TSAb act similarly to thyrotropin (TSH) on the thyroid follicle cell through the mediation of adenylate cyclase4. The formation of TSAb is thought to be due to a change in the immune tolerance or to some alteration of the antigen, which has been suggested to be the TSH receptor2. Some experimental evidence favours a defect in the immune surveillance, caused by decreased suppressor T-cell function2,5. It has been reported that sensitised lymphocytes from patients with GD can produce TSAb in vitro after nonspecific stimulation6,7 as well as after specific stimulation with thyroid homogenate8. We report here that the lymphocyte-stimulating effect of thyroid membranes is abolished if the thyroid membranes are preincubated with TSH. According to our hypothesis, this means that the TSH receptor is the mitogenic antigen.
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MÄKINEN, T., WÄGAR, G., APTER, L. et al. Evidence that the TSH receptor acts as a mitogenic antigen in Graves' disease. Nature 275, 314–315 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/275314a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/275314a0
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