Iodine content of thyroglobulin in Nod.H2h4 mice developing iodine-accelerated autoimmune thyroiditis.

Objective: In NOD.H2h4 mice, high dietary iodine intake has been known to cause iodine-accelerated spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis (ISAT) via an unknown mechanism. The aim of the study was to examine whether the NOD.

Thyroxine-binding antibodies inhibit T cell recognition of a pathogenic thyroglobulin epitope.

Thyroid hormone-binding (THB) Abs are frequently detected in autoimmune thyroid disorders but it is unknown whether they can exert immunoregulatory effects. We report that a THB mAb recognizing the 5' iodine atom of the outer phenolic ring of thyroxine (T4) can block T cell recognition of the pathogenic thyroglobulin (Tg) peptide (2549-2560) that contains T4 at aa position 2553 (T4(2553)). Following peptide binding to the MHC groove, the THB mAb inhibited activation of the A(k)-restricted, T4(2553)-specific, mouse T cell hybridoma clone 3.