Influence of antiganglioside antibodies on thyrotrophin binding and adenyl cyclase activity of thyroid plasma membranes.

Antibovine thyroid ganglioside antibodies developed in rabbits inhibit thyrotrophin binding to human thyroid plasma membranes. These antibodies are specific for gangliosides as was shown by the liposome agglutination technique. Antiganglioside antibodies did not stimulate basal adenyl cyclase activity in bovine thyroid plasma membranes, but most antiganglioside antibodies inhibit the activity of thyrotrophin stimulated adenyl cyclase. Antiganglioside antibodies react well with bovine thyroid plasma membranes and have considerable cross-reactivity with porcine and human thyroid plasma membranes. Rabbits which develop antiganglioside antibodies after some time have detectable levels of autoantithyroglobulin antibodies in their serum although the preparation used for imminisation did not contain any thyroglobulin or protein material.