Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Graves’ IgG stimulation of continuously cultured rat thyroid cells: a sensitive and potentially useful clinical assay

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A continuously cultured line of normal rat thyroid (FRTL) cells can be stimulated by immunoglobulin preparations from patients with Graves’ disease as measured by increases in intracellular cAMP levels. Responsiveness is concentration-dependent but is delayed in time relative to thyrotropin. Additionally, the cells respond to Graves’ immunoglobulins which have no long-acting thyroid stimulator (LATS) activity and are negative when adenylate cyclase stimulation in human thyroid membrane preparations is assayed. No correlation exists between the stimulation activity and the ability of a Graves’ immunoglobulin preparation to inhibit thyrotropin binding; cells are responsive even in the presence of such inhibitor activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. McKenzie J.M., Zakarija M., Sato A. Humoral immunity in Graves’ disease. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 7; 31, 1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Toccafondi R.S., Aterini S., Medici M.A., Rotella C.M., Tanini A., Zonefrati R. Thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb) detected in sera of patients with Graves’ disease using human thyroid cell cultures. Clin. Exp. Immunol. 40: 532, 1980.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hundo W.E., Takai N., Rapoport B., Filetti S., Clark O.H. Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin bioassay using cultured human thyroid cells. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 52: 1204, 1981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Eif F.J., Stockle G. What is the prevalence of thyroid-stimulating antibodies in hyperthyroid Graves’ disease? Proceedings of the 11th Annual Meeting of the European Thyroid Association, Pisa, Italy, September 8–12, 1981, p. 35A.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Ambesi-Impiombato F.S., Parks L.A.M., Coon H.G. Culture of hormone-dependent epithelial cells from rat thyroids. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77: 3455, 1980.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Tate R.L., Schwartz H.I., Holmes J.M., Kohn L.D., Winand R.J. Thyrotropin receptors in thyroid plasma membranes: characteristics of thyrotropin binding and solubilization of thyrotropin receptor activity by trypsin digestion. J. Biol. Chem. 250: 6509, 1975.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Macchia E., Fenzi G.F., Monzani F., Lippi F., Vitti P., Grasso L., Bartalena L., Baschieri L., Pinchera A. Comparison between thyroid-stimulating and TSH binding inhibiting immunoglobulins of Graves’ disease. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf.) 15: 175, 1981.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. DeWolf M.J.S., Vitti P., Ambesi-Impiombato F.S., Kohn L.D. Thyroid membrane ADP ribosyltransferase activity: stimulation by thyrotropin and activity in functioning and nonfunctioning rat thyroid cells in culture. J. Biol. Chem. (in press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section on Biochemistry of Cell Regulation, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Budding 4. Room BI-32, Bethesda, Maryland, 20205, USA

    P. Vitti, W. A. Valente, F. S. Ambesi-Impiombato &  L. D. Kohn

  2. Patologia Medica II, Università di Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56100, Pisa, Italy

    P. Vitti & G. F. Fenzi

  3. Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinologyand Metabolism, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, USA

    W. A. Valente

  4. Centro di Endocrinologia e Oncologia Sperimentale, Università di Napoli, 80131, Napoli, Italy

    F. S. Ambesi-Impiombato

  5. Endocrinologia e Medicina Costituzionale, Università di Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56100, Pisa, Italy

    A. Pinchera

Authors
  1. P. Vitti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. W. A. Valente
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. S. Ambesi-Impiombato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. G. F. Fenzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. Pinchera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. L. D. Kohn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

The present report was partially supported by NIH Grant R01 AM 21689-03.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vitti, P., Valente, W.A., Ambesi-Impiombato, F.S. et al. Graves’ IgG stimulation of continuously cultured rat thyroid cells: a sensitive and potentially useful clinical assay. J Endocrinol Invest 5, 179–182 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03349476

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03349476

Key-words

Search

Navigation