The nature of active and passive thyroglobulin binding lymphoid cells in Obese strain (OS) chickens

Thyroglobulin-binding lymphoid cells were identified in the spleen of Obese strain (DS) chickens by their capacity to form rosettes with thyroglobulin-coated chicken red blood cells. The nature of these cells was studied in inhibition experiments using turkey anti-chicken bursa or thymus cell sera and rabbit antisera specific for chicken Ig, gamma, mu, alpha, Fabgamma or Fcgamma. Spleen cells actively synthesizing surface receptors for thyroglobulin were identified as B cells and the receptors found to be complete IgM molecules. Normal T cells became thyroglobulin-rosette-forming cells via passive adsorption of thyroglobulin antibodies, a phenomenon which could be inhibited competitively by the addition of normal chicken serum to the incubation medium. Thyroglobulin antibodies passively adsorbed onto the surface of normal T cells also belong to the IgM class as verified both by inhibition experiments and studies employing IgM and IgG fractions of a high titered OS serum for the preincubation of the cell suspensions. Only preincubation with the IgM fraction of the anti-thyroglobulin antibodies resulted in the formation of significant numbers of passive rosette-forming cells.

Ophthalmopathy associated with primary hypothyroidism

Ten patients with primary hypothyroidism and ophthalmopathy are reported. None of the patients had previously received any form of therapy for thyrotoxicosis. In some patients hypothyroidism and exophthalmos presented simultaneously, but in others one clinical feature preceded the other by many years. Elevated titres of thyroid antibodies were found in 7 of the 10 patients and LATS was detected in 1 of the 10 patients. Increased 35S-sulphate uptake by the mouse Harderian gland technique occurred with serum from 1 of the 7 patients tested.

Immunologic aspects of leprosy as related to leucocytic isoantibodies and platelet aggregating factors

The incidences of various iso- and autoantibodies in a random population of 112 unselected leprosy patients is presented. Low titers of leucocytic isoantibodies and platelet aggregating factor were detected in the sera of a variable number of such patients. The leucoisoagglutinins were found in 8% of the sera of tuberculoid as well as lepromatous leprosy patients, whereas the leucoisocytotoxins were detected in a larger percentage of the lepromatous (40%) as well as tuberculoid (28%) cases. The platelet aggregating factors (PAF) were positive in 51.2% and 45% of lepromatous and tuberculoid cases respectively. Of the 21 positive sera for PAF, the antiplatelet factor by antihuman globulin consumption test could be demonstrated only in 66.6% and 50% of lepromatous and tuberculoid sera respectively. To study the frequencies of these newly detected antibodies or antibody-like factor and to compare their occurrences with other well-documented autoantibodies present in the sera of leprosy patients: cryoglobulins, antinucleoprotein antibody and thyroglobulin autoprecipitin were also studied in the sera of the same population of leprosy patients. It has been observed that the simultaneous occurrence of all these auto- and isoantibodies in the serum of one patient is a rare phenomenon. Leucocytic and platelet counts of these patients having antibodies against leucocytes and platelets were found to be within normal limits. Accordingly, it is suggested that the low levels of antileucocyte antibody and antiplatelet factor are probably harmless to the hosts. On the other hand, it is postulated that these antibodies may act as enhancing factors by being specifically adsorbed on the lymphoid cells, thus rendering them unresponsive to mitogenic stimulus in vitro. From these studies it seems that leprosy, especially the lepromatous type, is associated with some of the serological features suggestive of an autoimmune aberration.

Thyroglobulin messenger RNA: translation of a 33-S mRNA into a peptide immunologically related to thyroglobulin

Poly(UC)--Sepharose chromatography of the RNA extracted from a thyroid fraction sedimenting between 800 X g and 27000 X g allows the purification of two RNA fractions amounting each to 1% of the applied material. The first one is loosely bound to the column from which it is eluted at 25 degrees C. It is mainly composed of 16-S and 12-S RNA comprising no poly(A) sequences. This could correspond to mitochondrial rRNA. The second one, which is eluted at 50 degrees C, is poly(A)-rich and represents 33-S and 17--18-S RNA species. The 33-S RNA resists heating at 80 degrees C, suggesting that it is composed of one polynucleotide chain. When injected into Xenopus oocytes, the 33-S RNA specifically promotes the synthesis of a peptide with an apparent molecular weight of 185000 and an apparent sedimentation coefficient of 10-S. This peptide is immunologically related to thyroglobulin and could represent its main precursor. Under the conditions tested it does not polymerize spontaneously into 19-S thyroglobulin, suggesting that assembly of the molecule could require specific, post-translational alterations of the precursor and/or the presence of additional lighter subunits.

In vitro synthesis of a thyroglobulin precursor by porcine thyroid membrane-bound ribosomes in a heterologous cell-free system

The synthesis of a thyroglobulin precursor directed by endogenous messenger RNA has been achieved in a heterologous cell-free system containing porcine thyroid membrane-bound ribosomes and rat brain cortex cell sap. The main features of the system, such as ion and nucleotide requirements, temperature, dependence, inhibitors sensitivity, and ability to reinitiate, were studied. The nature of the product has been determined by specific immunoprecipitation and its size has been estimated by sucrose density gradient and sodium dodecyl sulfate acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Under our conditions, the thyroglobulin precursor was mainly synthesized by membrane-bound ribosomes.

Transient hypothyroidism associated with increased anti-microsomal antibodies

An unusual case of transient hypothyroidism during the course of chronic thyroiditis was reported. A 25 years old female noticed the remarkable enlargement of thyroid gland 3 months after paturition and was developed to be hypothyroidism with decreased blood thyroid hormone and increased serum TSH. The patient recovered to be euthyroid spontaneously in association with the decrement of goiter size. Anti-thyroid microsomal antibody increased concomitantly with hypothyroid period and decreased parallel with the recovery of thyroid function. The ratio of TSH potency estimated by bioassay to that by immunoassay changed during the course. Possible etiologic factors of this transient changes were discussed.

Clinical studies on thyroidal autoantibodies

In an attempt to clarify autoimmune nature of Grave's disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, thyroidal autoantibodies have been studied on 86 cases of Grave's disease, 54 cases of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 31 cases of simple goiter, 11 cases of primary hypothyroidism a-d 22 cases of thyroid neoplasia as well as on 364 healthy subjects. Two kinds of tanned red cell hemagglutination tests were carreid out on each case. One method using refined human thyroglobulin for sensitization of sheep red cells has been found to be specifice for anti-thyroglobulin antibody and to be frequently positive in Hashimoto patients. However, in another method using human thyroidal microsomes (purified by ultracentrifugation) as sensitizing antigen, some heterogenous antibodies including anti-thyroglobulin antibody might be detected together with the antibody against the antigen proper to thyroidal micorsome (HF antigen)which is derived from hyperfunctioning thyroidal follicular cells of Grave's patients. hAnti-HF antibody is frequently detected both in Hashimoto and Grave's patients. In other thyroid diseases the titers of both thyroidal autoantibodies were generally low, though higher than in healthy subjects. The effect of aging on thyroidal autoantibodies in healthy subjects was clearly observed in females but not in males. From the results of these two test, it is possible to speculate that high=columnar and hyperfunctioning thyroidal follicular cells might exist focally in most cases of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

[Incidence of thyroglobulin and microsomal antibodies in normal subjects (author's transl)]

In the course of studies on the occurrence of antithyroid antibodies in various thyroid disorders, serum antibodies to microsome of thyroid epithelial cells, as well as circulating antibodies to thyroglobulin, are demonstrated by tanned red cell hemaggulutination. These thyroglobulin and microsome-coated tanned red blood cells can be efficiently demonstrated with a commercially prepared reagent. (Fuji-Zoki Co.) The sera of 2,350 normal subjects were tested by these thryoid autoantibodies tests. Fifty-one (2.3 per cent) of the sera of 2,350 normal subjects showed a positive reaction for thyroglobulin antibodies, and fifty-nine (2.5 per cent) persons showed a positive reaction for microsomal antibodies. The incidence of thyroglobulin and microsomal antibodies in males and females were progressively greater with age, particularly between ages 60 to 69.

Carbohydrate-binding specificity of the so-called galactose-specific phytohemagglutinins

The carbohydrate-binding specificities of various so-called galactose-specific phytohemagglutinins were investigated by means of hemagglutination-inhibition assays. As hapten inhibitors, glycopeptides prepared by pronase-digestion of various glycoproteins (porcine submaxillary mucin, bovine submaxillary mucin, and porcine thyroglobulin), and several glycosides of D-galactose and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose were employed. The results indicate that these galactose-specific phytohemagglutinins may recognize the sugar residue penultimate to D-galactose or 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose residues of the sugar chain with which they interact, and that they can be classified into three groups based on the type of sugar sequence which they primarily recognize.

The predictive value of histometry of thyroid tissue in anticipating hypothyroidism after subtoatl thyroidectomy for primary thyrotoxicosis

Thyroid tissue removed at partial thyroidectomy from primary thyrotoxicosis patients, after preparation for operation with carbimazole and Lugol's iodine, was studied with the histometric technique. In patients with little or no evidence of autoimmunity before operation, the chance of developing postoperative hypothyroidism was approximately 1 in 2 in those who had volume percentage of epithelium greater than 40, but only approximately 1 in 10 in those who had volume percentage of epithelium less than 40. This approach may ultimately prove of predictive value in a substantial proportion of patients for anticipating hypothyroidism after subtotal thyroidectomy for primary thyrotoxicosis.

Thyrogastric autoimmune disease. Studies on the cell-mediated immune system and histocompatibility antigens

Cell-mediated immune responses were studied in autoimmune diseases of thyrogastric type, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and autoimmune pernicious anaemia-type gastritis. Specific cell-mediated immunity was investigated by the leucocyte migration inhibition procedure, and general cell-mediated immunity (T-cell performance) was studied by standard in vivo and in vitro tests. In thyrogastric autoimmune diseases inhibition of migration of leucocytes was induced by thyroglobulin and gastric parietal cell microsomes; under conditions of presumably low cellular sensitization, stimulation of migration was observed. There was no depression of general cell-mediated immunity, in contrast to what occurs in systemic lupus erythematosus and related autoimmune diseases. A weak association of autoimmune gastritis with HL-A3 and HL-A7 (P LESS THAN 0.05) lost significance when an appropriate correction was applied; this weakness with HL-A clearly does not explain the strong genetic component in thyroid and gastric autoimmunity.

Thyroglobulin-binding lymphoid cells in obese strain (OS) chickens

The binding of chicken thyroglobulin-coated chicken red blood cells by splenic, thymic, and bursal lymphoid cells was analysed in Obese strain (OS) chickens with spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis and normal white Leghorn controls aged 1 week to 2.5 yr. Chicken erythrocytes coated with pneumococcal polysaccharide SIIII served as controls. The specificity of thyroglobulin-rosette-forming cells was verified by inhibition experiments. OS chickens showed significantly higher counts of thyroglobulin-rosette-forming cells in the spleen and thymus as compared to normal controls while no such difference was found for SII-rosette-forming cells. The values obtained with bursal lymphoid cells were in the same range in both OS and normal white Leghorn birds. The appearance of thyroglobulin-rosette-forming cells and their peak values clearly preceded the maximum frequency and severity of thyroiditis and the peak of the thyroglobulin antibody curve. It is concluded that the presence of thyroglobulin rosette-forming cells is a prerequisite for the future development of spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis in the OS. Inhibition studies with specific turkey anti-chicken bursa and thymus cell sera revealed the B cell nature of active thyroglobulin-rosette-forming cells and suggested that passive rosette-forming cells were of T cell origin.

[Biermer's anemia with chronic lymphoid leukemia and hemolysis with autoantibodies]

The authors report a case of chronic lymphatic leukemia occurring four years after the onset of pernicious anemia. Multiple immunological abnormalities were detected. Hemolytic anemia with auto-antibodies and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies. Anti-intrinsic factor antibodies of type 1 were found but disappeared later. This case, the 9 th in the world literature, emphasizes the links between pernicious anemia, an auto-immune disease, and malignant disorders of the lymphatic and immune systems.

Susceptibility of inbred rat strains to experimental thyroiditis: quantitation of thyroglobulin-binding cells and assessment of T-cell function in susceptible and non-susceptible strains

Ten inbred strains of rats were immunized with crude homologous thyroglobulin emulsified in Freund's complete adjuvant in order to investigate strain susceptibility to the induction of both thyroiditis and antibody to thyroglobulin. Two strains (LH and AUG) were found to be extremely susceptible and had 100% incidence of thyroid lesions which in general varied from moderate to very severe (mean index of pathology+/-SE, 2-5+/-0-2 and 2-1+/-0-4 respectively). One other strain (HL) also had 100% incidence of lesions but there were consistently mild in character (1-1+/-0-1). Two strains (DA and SD) were variable, with thyroid change varying from negative to severe. Three strains (LEW, WAG and PVG/c) had occasional lesions and the remaining two strains (AS and CAM) showed no thyroid change. Four strains (LH, AUG, HL and DA) consistently produced good antibody responses to thyroglobulin (mean titres+/-SE 7-3+/-0-3, 9-5+/-0-4, 6-9+/-0-3 and 6-6+/-0-5 respectively). In contrast WAG and CAM rats failed to develop autoantibody and the responses of AS, PVG/c and SD strain rats were quite variable. Although the autoantibody response generally correlated well with the presence of thyroiditis in a particular strain, LEW, AS and PVG/c rats often had good antibody levels with minimal thyroid lesions. Females of the most susceptible strains (LH and AUG) were found to have significantly more severe thyroid lesions and higher antibody titres to thyroglobulin than males. The most susceptible strains were all found to be of the Ag-B5 major histocompatibility genotype whilst the least susceptible were of the Ag-B2 genotype. However, wide interstrain variability was noted within the Ag-B5 genotype particularly with respect to the induction and extent of thyroid lesions. It was not found possible to relate the divergence in susceptibility between rat strains of Ag-B5 and Ag-B2 genotypes to differences in respective numbers of thyroglobulin-binding cells within the circulation of the non-immunized animal. Similarly, there were no differences in response between a susceptible (LH) and non-susceptible (CAM) strain to the phytomitogens PHA and Con A.

Differential susceptibility of strain 2 and strain 13 guinea pigs to induction of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis

Twenty-seven of 30 Strain 2 guinea pigs immunized with 100 mug guinea pig thyroglobulin (GPTG) prepared either from Hartley (H) or Strain 13 (13) thyroids developed experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) whereas only 1 of 39 similarly immunized Strain 13 guinea pigs developed EAT. F1 hybrids behaved like the Strain 2 parent in that 16 of 20 developed EAT. The susceptible Strain 2 and F1 guinea pigs had higher hemagglutinating antibody titers to GPTG than the Strain 13 guinea pigs whereas all three strains had similar delayed skin reactivity to GPTG. The results suggest that susceptibility of guinea pigs to thyroiditis is genetically controlled and that production of antithyroglobulin antibody may be important in determining disease susceptibility.

Antigen-binding cells in human fetal liver

Antigen-binding cells (ABC) could be detected regularly by autoradiography among haemic cells in the liver of human fetuses ranging in age from 8 to 24 weeks. For radioiodine-labeled thyroglobulin, the antigen mainly used in these studies, counts of ABC ranged from 5.0 to 24.3 per 1,000 cells scanned. There was a trend for counts of ABC in liver to be highest at 10-12 weeks of fetal life. Binding of labeled thyroglobulin was inhibited by excess unlabeled thyroglobulin, but not by other protein antigens. Artifacts due to binding of antigen to normoblasts, which comprised 90% of the haemic cells in fetal lines, and to cells with 'sticky' surfaces were excluded as far as possible. There was no response by fetal liver cells to phytohaemagglutinin. Although there was only minimal inhibition of binding by anti-immunoglobulin sera of known potency, the ABC in human fetal liver were assumed to correspond to immunoglobulin-bearing precursors of B cells described by others in the liver of the fetal mouse.

Hypothyroidism after thyroidectomy for Graves's disease: a search for an explanation

Out of 38 patients who had undergone subtotal thyroidectomy for Graves's disease seven to 20 years previously 15 developed hypothyroidism. In these 15 patients autoantibodies against thyroid cytoplasm were significantly more frequent than in the 23 euthyroid patients, though there was no difference in the prevalence of autoantibodies against thyroglobulin. Histological examination of the thyroid tissue removed at operation showed that significantly more plasma cells and lymphoid follicles with germinal centres were present in patients who subsequently developed hypothyroidism than in those who remained euthyroid. No differences in the amount of lymphocytic infiltration were seen in hypothyroid and euthyroid patients.The results suggest that B lymphocytes play a part in the development of postoperative hypothyroidism in Graves's disease. It is proposed that Graves's disease and Hashimoto's disease are different aspects of the same basic autoimmune process.