[Thyroglobulin-binding and anti-thyroglobulin antibody-secreting lymphocytes in human peripheral blood (author's transl)].

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes were studied with the use of fluorescinated human thyroglobulin (FITC-Tg) for the presence of cells which bind human FITC-Tg (Tg-BL) and which secrete a thyroglobulin antibody (Tg-SL) by culturing them for 5 days with pokeweed mitogen. In seven out of fifteen (47%) patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an average of 0.18% of lymphocytes were able to bind FITC-Tg, while only one out of six (17%) patients with Graves' disease was able to bind them. No Tg-BLs were detected in five patients with miscellaneous autoimmune diseases and five normal subjects. Tg-BLs were identified as B lymphocytes by their inability to make rosettes with sheep red blood cells. Tg-SLs were detected in six out of eight (75%) patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and two out of five (40%) patients with Graves' disease. The positive rates of Tg-BL and Tg-SL were fairly well correlated with the thyroglobulin antibody titers.