INDUCTION OF THYROID AUTOANTIBODIES IN NAIVE MICE BY IDIOTYPIC MANIPULATION

Previously, we have shown that it is possible to induce, in naive mice , systemic autoimmune diseases (e.g., antiphospholipid syndrome and sy stemic lupus erythematosus) by idiotypic manipulation. In the present study we expanded our experience to examine whether idiotypic manipula tion could be utilized to induce organ-specific autoantibodies and a d isease mediated by cellular mechanisms, namely, experimental autoimmun e thyroiditis. Fifteen BALB/c mice were immunized with a monoclonal mo use anti-human thyroglobulin (hTg) antibody; controls were immunized w ith an irrelevant mouse IgG. The mice immunized with anti-hTg antibody developed, 6 weeks after immunization, autoantibodies to human thyrog lobulin, but not to dsDNA, cardiolipin, or myeloperoxidase. The presen ce of specific autoantibodies was associated with low production of th yroid hormones, and during a follow-up of 20 weeks the mice did not de velop characteristic histological signs of thyroiditis. We conclude th at idiotypic manipulation can induce anti-thyroglobulin autoantibodies . (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.