On the mechanism of "rosette" formation in human and experimental thyroiditis.

A method of immunocyto-adherence using circulating lymphocytes and sheep red cells coated with an antigen (rosette-formation) was studied in an attempt to detect lymphocytic antibodies. Human and experimental immune thyroiditis were chosen as a model. Such lymphocytic antibodies correlate better with the presence of immune thyroiditis than do humoral antibodies. The principal aim of the present study was to try to explain the significance of the rosette-forming lymphocyte. The different experiments carried out for instance with the addition of an immunosuppressive drug or trypsin suggest that this lymphocyte may be representative of delayed type hypersensitivity. Other experiments allowed us to think that this cell was unable to passively fix circulating antibodies.