Cellular localization of the microsomal antigen and the thyroid peroxidase antigen.

Evidence has been accumulated that human thyroid microsomal/microvillar autoantigen (M) is expressed both in the cytoplasm and on the surface of thyroid follicular cells. The availability of this autoantigen to the immune system, possibly associated with abnormally expressed HLA-DR antigens may be relevant both to the triggering and to maintenance of thyroid autoimmune reactions. Preliminary biochemical characterization of M suggested that it was a glycoprotein with a mol. wt. of about 100-110 kD. recent studies carried out in our laboratories taking advantage of monoclonal antibodies provided evidence that the structure presently referred as M-Ag is represented by thyroid peroxidase (TPO). The identity between TPO and M is further supported by four-layer immunofluorescence analysis showing a complete overlap of the two antigens both in the surface and in the cytoplasm of thyroid cells and by the observation that the expression of M and TPO is similarly modulated by TSH, possibly through a cAMP-dependent mechanism.