Open AccessT cell responses to synthetic thyroid peroxidase peptides in autoimmune thyroid disease
Author(s) -
TANDON N.,
FREEMAN M.,
WEETMAN A. P.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1991.tb05773.x
Subject(s) - thyroid , immunology , autoimmune disease , thyroid peroxidase , medicine , graves' disease , disease , thyroid disease , autoimmunity , peroxidase , biology , endocrinology , immune system , antibody , enzyme , biochemistry
SUMMARY Sixteen peptides, representing four different extracellular regions of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) predicted to contain a high proportion of potential T cell epitopes. were synthesized to investigate which parts of this autoantigen may be targets for the T cell response in thyroid autoimmunity. Compared with 25 controls, peripheral blood T cells from 23–37% of 30 patients with Graves’ disease or autoimmune hypothyroidism were stimulated significantly by three peptides, representing amino acids 415–432, 439–457 and 463–481 of the TPO sequence; T cells from individual patients were also stimulated by several other peptides. These results indicate that the T cell response to TPO is directed against several epitopes which may be recognized by different patients.