Tissue specific binding of lymphocytes to the thyroid gland of BB/W rats may be an early event in the development of thyroiditis

The pathogenicity of spontaneously-occurring thyroglobulin-reactive T lymphocytes from BB/WOR rats

Autoantigen-reactive T lymphocytes have been implicated in the pathogenesis organ-specific autoimmune disease. Thyroglobulin (Tg) is one of the primary autoantigens associated with autoimmune lymphocytic thyroiditis (LT). These experiments investigated the pathogenicity of a lymphocyte line derived from spontaneously-occurring Tg-reactive T lymphocytes isolated from unprimed NB line BB/Wor rats which have nearly a 100% incidence of spontaneous LT. Adoptive transfer of LT was accomplished by injecting 1.0 x 10(5) Tg-reactive lymphocytes into the tail vein of MHC compatible, non LT-prone BB line BB/Wor rats. All of the Tg-reactive cell line recipients (5/5) developed LT compared to only 20% (1/5) of the control rats given a parallel tetanus toxoid-reactive T cell line (p < 0.05, Fisher's exact test). Furthermore, despite the presence of LT, only one Tg-reactive cell line recipient developed insulitis. When Tg-reactive lymphocytes were incubated with an MHC compatible Wistar rat thyrocyte line at increasing effector: target ratios, the T cell line lysed thyrocytes in a dose-response fashion (r = 0.99, p < 0.05, linear regression), but did not lyse smooth muscle cell targets. FACS analysis established that this cell line is CD8 predominant. This is the first study to demonstrate that spontaneously-occurring Tg-reactive T lymphocytes from a nonimmunized animal model for LT are pathogenic. Further investigations into the repertoire of Tg-reactive lymphocytes in BB/Wor rats should provide insight into the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disease and provide a basis for targeted immunotherapy.

Homing of 51Cr-labeled human peripheral lymphocytes to Graves' thyroid tissue xenografted into SCID mice

We have recently described a NUDE/SCID mouse model that has been useful for the study of human thyroid autoimmunity in in vivo conditions. The reappearance of lymphocytic infiltration in Graves' thyroid tissue and a humoral response in SCID mice (rexenografted with normalized thyroid tissues from NUDE mice) was detected only if autologous Graves' human peripheral lymphocytes (PBMC) were engrafted into the same animals. Therefore it was presumed that some autoreactive PBMC directed themselves to the thyroid. However, there was previously no direct evidence regarding the trafficking of the engrafted PBMC to the target tissue. To elucidate this point we have studied the migration of 51Cr-labeled PBMC in SCID mice. Human thyroid tissue from six Graves' disease (GD) patients and six patients with nontoxic nodular goiter were initially xenografted into NUDE mice for 8 weeks. The same tissues were retrieved and rexenografted into several "virgin" SCID mice, i.e., no previous xenografts. Autologous PBMC were isolated from blood of the same patients obtained at the time of the tissue rexenograftment and labeled with radioactive 51Cr. Twenty million labeled PBMC were engrafted into each SCID mouse. The distribution of labeled lymphocytes into mouse organs and trafficking into Graves' and normal xenografts was measured. A significant amount of radioactivity in Graves' xenografts was detected after 1 week with the peak of radioactivity at 2-3 weeks. This radioactivity was significantly higher than radioactivity in surrounding tissues (skin, muscle). In contrast, homing of autologous lymphocytes into normal paranodular thyroid tissue was very minimal; the radioactivity of GD thyroid xenografts with engrafted autologous lymphocytes was significantly higher than that of normal tissues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Expression of the Hermes-1 (CD44) and ICAM-1 (CD54) molecule on the surface of thyroid cells from patients with Graves' disease

From studies of binding of 51Cr-labeled T cells to human thyroid monolayers, we have postulated the existence of tissue "homing-like" receptors on thyroid cells in patients with Graves' disease (GD). In this study we have investigated whether the CD44 (Hermes-1) protein, well known as a putative human lymphocyte homing receptor, is expressed on thyroid cells in patients with GD, and if so whether its expression is influenced by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Cell surface CD44, as well as CD54 (ICAM-1), another putative homing receptor, antigens were analyzed by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. CD44 and CD54 were both expressed on thyroid cells from untreated patients with GD, which, in the case of CD44, appeared as two peaks. IFN-gamma treatment enhanced the expression of the CD54 protein on Graves' thyroid cells and inhibited the expression of the larger of the two CD44 peaks, but not the other. Only small amounts of CD44 and CD54 were detected on normal thyroid cells, neither of which was affected by IFN-gamma. The CD44 protein was also demonstrated on both GD and normal thyroid cells by immunohistochemistry. These findings suggest that CD44, and possibly CD54, may induce putative adhesion pathways that lead to the homing of lymphocytes to the thyroid in patients who develop Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease.