AUTOIMMUNITY TO THE THYROID-STIMULATING HORMONE-RECEPTOR

Thyroid disorders are the most common endocrine diseases and affect a large segment of the population. Most of the thyroid diseases are auto immune in nature and can be broadly grouped into two categories; one m ediated by autoimmune responses to the thyroglobulin (i.e. Hashimoto's thyroiditis), and the other mediated by autoimmunity to the thyrotrop in receptor (primarily Graves' disease). Although patients with autoim mune thyroid diseases exhibit immune responses against a number of thy roid antigens, such as thyroglobulin, thyrotropin receptor and thyroid peroxidase, responses directed against a specific antigen appear to p lay an important role in the disease pathogenesis. For example, Hashim oto's thyroiditis is primarily mediated by T cell responses directed t oward the thyroglobulin receptor, whereas Graves' disease is mediated by antibodies directed against the thyrotropin receptor. In this revie w we will focus on thyroid diseases mediated by autoimmune responses t o the thyrotropin receptor. (C) 1997 Science Ltd.