Different mouse thyroglobulins in the induction of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis

To detect differences in antigenic determinants of thyroglobulins (Tg) from different strains of mice Tg's were isolated from two congenic strains B10.D2 (H 2(d) and B10.Br (H 2(k)). The latter strain is much more susceptible to experimentally induced autoimmune thyroiditis than the former. Using B10.D2 Tg in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), mice of strains B10.D2, B10.Br, DBA (H 2(d)), and C57Br (H 2(k)) were immunized. All animals were given 2 weekly injections, killed 4 wk later and pathology indices (PI) determined. Both of the H 2(d) strains developed only minimal thyroiditis when immunized with B10.D2 Tg and moderate disease when immunized with B10.Br Tg. H 2(k) mice developed severe thyroiditis following immunization with B10.Br Tg and had a significantly lower PI with B10.D2 Tg. It was concluded that the immunogenicity of mouse Tg is linked to H 2.