Production of thyroid-stimulating antibodies in mice by immunization with T-cell epitopes of human thyrotropin receptor.

We examined whether mice, immunized with TSH receptor (TSH-R) peptides, which are known to be T-cell epitopes in patients with Graves' disease, would show thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb). We immunized DBA/1J mice with TSH-R peptide amino acids 132-150, 145-163, 158-176, and 172-186 and with a pool of these four peptides. The antibodies produced in these mice were evaluated by measurement of TSAb activity using Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human TSH-R. Seven of 20 mice showed TSAb activity that could be partially blocked with TSH-R peptides. To assess the role of T-cell epitope-specific T-cells in the production of TSAb, we transferred a T-cell line developed from a TSAb-positive mouse to other syngeneic DBA/1J mice. Two of 4 recipient mice showed TSAb activities. These findings suggest that specific T-cell epitopes of TSH-R play a crucial role in the production of TSAb.