Thyroid peroxidase autoantibody epitopic 'fingerprints' in juvenile Hashimoto's thyroiditis: Evidence for conservation over time and in families

J. C. Jaume, C. L. Burek, W. H. Hoffman, N. R. Rose, S. M. Mclachlan, B. Rapoport

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

In Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the humoral component is manifest by autoantibodies to thyroid peroxidase (TPO). Epitopic 'fingerprinting' of polyclonal serum TPO autoantibodies has been facilitated by the molecular cloning and expression as Fab of a repertoire of human TPO autoantibody genes. To investigate whether TPO autoantibody fingerprints are (i) stable over long periods of time (~ 15 years), and (ii) inherited, we studied a cohort of nine patients with juvenile Hashimoto's thyroiditis and 21 first degree relatives of four of these patients. Fingerprints were determined by competition between four selected Fab and serum autoantibodies for binding to 125I-TPO. Regardless of titre, the TPO epitopic profile was stable in 10/12 individuals whose TPO autoantibody levels were sufficient for analysis on two or three occasions over 12-15 years. Although the TPO epitopic fingerprint profiles in two families raised the possibility of inheritance, overall the data from all four families did not reveal an obvious pattern of genetic control. In no family was the TPO epitopic fingerprint associated with HLA A, B or DR. In conclusion, TPO autoantibody epitopic fingerprints are frequently conserved over many years. Studies on additional families are necessary to establish whether or not the epitopic profiles of TPO autoantibodies are inherited.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)115-123
Number of pages9
JournalClinical and Experimental Immunology
Volume104
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1996

Keywords

  • autoantibody
  • epitope
  • fingerprint
  • thyroid peroxidase
  • thyroiditis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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