Elsevier

Journal of Autoimmunity

Volume 3, Issue 6, December 1990, Pages 727-736
Journal of Autoimmunity

Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and lymphocyte function-associated antigen-3 on human thyroid epithelial cells in Graves' and Hashimoto's diseases

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0896-8411(05)80039-3Get rights and content

Human endocrine thyroid epithelial cells (TEC) from autoimmune thyroiditis which express HLA Class II antigens have been shown to present autoantigens to T cells for a TEC-specific immune response. Since the initiation of a specific immune response also involves antigen-receptor independent interactions between accessory molecules, such as lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) with intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and lymphocyte function-associated antigen-3 (LFA-3) with CD2, it was of interest to determine whether TEC can express the adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and LFA-3) which augment the efficiency of antigen presentation. Cultured TEC were studied for their expression of ICAM-1 and LFA-3 by immunofluorescence. Those derived from Graves' disease expressed these molecules after stimulation with recombinant human interferon-γ (IFNγ) or with recombinant human tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα). However, using the same stimuli, TEC from non-toxic goitre were induced to express ICAM-1, but not LFA-3. To establish whether ICAM-1 and LFA-3 on TEC were expressed in vivo during the disease process, antibodies against these molecules were incubated with frozen sections of autoimmune thyroiditis, including Graves' and Hashimoto's diseases, and non-toxic goitre. Both ICAM-1 and LFA-3 were highly expressed in the autoimmune diseases, but not in non-toxic goitre.

These findings establish that TEC are able to express adhesion molecules and suggest the possible involvement of these adhesion molecules in the TEC-specific immune response in autoimmune thyroiditis.

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    Present address: Department of General and Experimental Pathology, University of Vienna, Wahringer Straße 13, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.

    The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, 6 Bute Gardens, Hammersmith, London W6 7DW, UK.

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