Immune Reactivity: Types of Antibodies in Graves'

Patients with autoimmune thyroid disease have immune reactivity, both antibodies and cell-mediated immunity, directed to the

TSH receptor,
thyroid peroxidase (TPO), and
thyroglobulin (TG).

Other types of antibodies are present.
Antibodies reacting to components of eye muscle and fibroblasts are found in sera of patients with Graves’ eye disease.

People having autoimmune thyroid disease also often develop other “organ specific” antibodies. Fifty percent of Hashimoto’s patients develop antibodies against cells in the stomach wall.

Elevated levels of TSAb, TBII, and (rarely) TSBAb
Elevated levels of anti-TPOAb ( 90%)
Elevated levels of anti-TGAb ( 50%)

Antibodies recognizing components of eye muscle and/or fibroblasts

Antibodies reacting to the Iodide Symporter
Antibodies to DNA
Antibodies to Parietal Cells (infrequent)
Antibodies binding to platelets

So, up to 90% of Graves' patients have anti-TPOAb (formerly known as antibodies directed to the "microsomal antigen"), although they are not known to play a role in Graves' disease.

Fifty percent have antibodies directed against thyroglobulin. And thyroglobulin antibodies can also react with the brain rather than the thyroid, causing Hashimoto's encephalopaty

These antibodies are very similar to those present in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and idiopathic myxedema.

LATS, quoted in the previous page, stands for long-acting-thyroid-stimulator. Before they even knew this substance was an antibody, and they knew that patients with GD had a substance in their blood that caused thyroid cells to release excess thyroid hormone.

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