Delineating the autoimmune mechanisms in Graves' disease.

ABSTRACT: The immunologic processes involved in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), particularly Graves' disease (GD), are similar to other autoimmune diseases with the emphasis on the antibodies as the most unique aspect. These characteristics include a lymphocytic infiltrate at the target organs, the presence of antigen-reactive T and B cells and antibodies, and the establishment of animal models of GD by antibody transfer or immunization with antigen. Similar to other autoimmune diseases, risk factors for GD include the presence of multiple susceptibility genes, including certain HLA alleles, and the TSHR gene itself. In addition, a variety of known risk factors and precipitators have been characterized including the influence of sex and sex hormones, pregnancy, stress, infection, iodine and other

SUBMITTER: Morshed SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4504182 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature