The production and characterization of thyroid-derived T-cell lines in XXXX and @entity2621 .

@entity1 @entity2743 @entity1669 @entity2621 @entity379 @entity1199
Although the thyroid gland itself is a major site of the autoimmune response, the study of T-cell function in @entity1669 has usually relied on peripheral blood as a source of cells. In this study, we have established thyroid-derived T-cell lines from six @entity1 with @entity2743 and one @entity1 with @entity2621 by culturing the thyroid lymphocytes on an autologous thyroid follicular cell monolayer in the presence of exogenous @entity1199 ( @entity1199 ). These T-cell lines have allowed in vitro investigation of thyroid-derived T-cell function, an approach which was previously limited by the number of lymphocytes obtained from the gland. The lines were predominantly OKT3, OKT4, and HLA-DR positive but showed heterogeneous proliferative responses. Some lines gave autologous or allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions but other did not. Only one of the seven lines responded well to the thyroid antigens thyroglobulin and microsomes presented by autologous monocytes. However, six of the lines proliferated in the presence of live but not dead autologous thyroid follicular cells, particularly when @entity379 ( @entity379 ) was added. This treatment has been shown to enhance HLA-DR and -DQ antigen expression by thyroid follicular cells in vitro. Furthermore, the proliferation induced by @entity379 -treated thyroid follicular cells was increased when thyroglobulin was also added. Together these results support the hypothesis that the expression of Ia antigens such as HLA-DR by thyroid follicular cells in @entity1669 may be important in enhancing the autoimmune response, conferring on these cells the ability to present thyroid autoantigens to T cells. The use of thyroid-derived T-cell lines should permit a more detailed evaluation of the disordered immuno-regulation in @entity2743 and @entity2621 than has been possible previously.
