We studied ninety cases of thyroid glands both histopathologically and by immunohistochemical methods in patients with Graves' disease using B and T cell markers to evaluate the role of lymphocytic subpopulation. Females were affected more frequently than males with a ratio of 6.5:1, and usually the females were younger than the males at the time of surgery. The heavier the lymphocytic infiltration, the higher was the percentage of germinal center formation or fibrosis. The degree of lymphocytic infiltration was also related to the titers of antithyroglobulin or antimicrosomal antibodies. T cells were mostly scattered individually or in small groups between the follicles; however, in the severely infiltrated group, the major pattern was in clusters. T8 positive cells were more abundant than T4 positive cells, and their distribution pattern was accordant with T11 positive cells. Immunoglobulin synthesizing B cells were positively stained in 47 of 94 cases tested and IgG was the most predominant. In the mild and moderate lymphocytic infiltration groups, IgM was mostly stained at the mantle zone or in the lymphoid cluster of the interfollicular stroma, whereas IgM positive cells were present exclusively in the germinal center of the severely infiltrated group. The results of our study indicate that the major lymphocyte subpopulation in Graves' disease is B lymphocytes, and the degree of T lymphocytic infiltration correlated better with titers of antimicrosomal antibody than antithyroglobulin.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Graves' Disease/immunology/*pathology ; Human ; Immunoglobulins/metabolism ; Lymphocytes/immunology/pathology ; Male ; Middle Age ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Thyroid Gland/immunology/pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of natural killer T (NK T) cells in the pathogenesis of Graves' disease.

METHODSNK T cell deficient mice and wild BALB/c mice were immunized with cells expressing TSH receptor once every two weeks 6 times. Two weeks after the final immunization, the mice were killed and serum thyroxine levels, anti-TSH receptor antibodies and thyroid pathological changes were examined.

RESULTSThe mean levels of TT(4) and TRAb in the immunized NK T cell deficient group were slightly elevated but significantly different from those of the non-immunized control group, while comparable to those in the immunized wild group. There were no significant changes of the activity levels of TSAb or TSBAb in the immunized NK T cell deficient mice compared to those in immunized wild control mice. Thyroids from immunized NK T cell deficient mice showed mild hypertrophy of some follicles as compared with non-immunized control mice. This change was comparable to immunized wild control mice.

CONCLUSIONNK T cells may not be involved in the pathogenesis of Graves' disease.

Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Female ; Graves Disease ; etiology ; immunology ; Immunization ; Killer Cells, Natural ; physiology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Receptors, Thyrotropin ; immunology ; Thyroid Gland ; pathology

Adult ; Agranulocytosis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; metabolism ; Bone Marrow Diseases ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Graves Disease ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Plasma Cells ; pathology ; Propylthiouracil ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Vasculitis ; chemically induced ; immunology ; pathology