The appearance in thyroidectomized mice of immunoglobulins that bind TSH and stimulate FRTL-5 thyrocytes

The purpose of these studies was to examine whether thyroid stimulating antibodies in Graves' patients could arise as auto-antiidiotypic antibodies to endogenous anti-TSH antibodies. The model system chosen was the thyroidectomized mouse, exhibiting an elevated level of endogenous, circulating TSH. Mice were thyroidectomized by 131I administration. Sera samples were drawn 1 to 14 months later. The following activities were measured in the immunoglobulin (Ig) fractions prepared: (a) TSH binding by elisa techniques, (b) iodide pump activity (as measured by 99mTcO4 uptake) and (c) increased [3H]thymidine incorporation into the DNA of FRTL-5 cells. TSH binding Igs were detected in 29/98 mice thyroidectomized for 7–14 months. Stimulation of technetium uptake was observed in 59/110 mice and stimulated labeled thymidine uptake in 37/102 mice, beginning eight and nine months after thyroidectomy, respectively. Of the positive animals, 51 showed a single stimulating activity. The incidence and the serum titers of Igs that stimulate technetium uptake increased significantly with time. Indeed, in the group tested 14 months post-thyroidectomy, 75% of the sera were positive for this antibody with a mean titer eightfold higher than the controls. Hybridomas were prepared from the spleen lymphocytes of thyroidectomized mice. Of these, 18 produced 99mTcO4 uptake stimulating Igs, 12 [3H]thymidine-uptake stimulating Igs and 18 TSH binding Igs. Most of the hybridomas secreted Igs with a single bioactivity. One monoclonal antibody was isolated which neutralized the bioactivity of bTSH on FRTL-5 cells. 99mTcO4 uptake was decreased by 50% and [3H]thymidine uptake was virtually abolished. These results suggest that the hypothyroid mouse can develop anti-TSH antibodies and thyroid-stimulating antiidiotypic antibodies by an autoimmune process.