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Growth stimulating antibodies in endemic goitre: a reappraisal
Author(s) -
Davies R.,
Lawry J.,
Bhatia V.,
Weetman A. P.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1995.tb01914.x
Subject(s) - endemic goitre , medicine , endocrinology , antibody , immunology , thyroid
Summary OBJECTIVE Previous studies, using a variety of methods, have reported growth‐promoting Immunoglobulins (IGs) In a large proportion of patients with endemic goitre. We sought to determine whether thyroid growth‐promoting Immunoglobulins (TGI) are present in the serum of Indian patients with endemic goitre. DESIGN IgG was prepared by protein G‐Sepharose affinity purification and added to FRTL‐5 thyroid cells In the presence of suboptimal concentrations of TSH. PATIENTS We studied 30 sequential patients with endemic goitre and 16 euthyroid controls without a goitre from the same area MEASUREMENTS Two assays for thyroid cell growth were used: 3 H‐thymldine Incorporation, and flow cytometric measurement of the proportion of cells in the S phase and G 2 /M phase of the cell cycle. RESULTS Both assays were shown to detect growth produced by TSH and by thyroid stimulating antibodies in IgG preparations from 3 patients with Graves' disease. There was no significant Increase In either 3 H‐thymldine Incorporation or the distribution of cells In S or G 2 /M phase with IgGs from endemic goitre patients, and no difference between the effects of these IgGs and those from the normal subjects. CONCLUSIONS Thyroid growth‐promoting immunoglobulins cannot be detected In Indian patients with endemic goitre.