[Urinary iodide assessment of the adult population in Catalonia].

Background And Objective: In 1983 goitre prevalence in Catalonia (Spain) was 21% and average urinary iodine (UI) 88.5 microg/l (SD 47.5).

Cloning and characterization of the novel thyroid and eye muscle shared protein G2s: autoantibodies against G2s are closely associated with ophthalmopathy in patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism.

Serum autoantibodies against eye muscle antigens are closely linked with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO), although their significance is unclear. The two antigens that are most often recognized are eye muscle membrane proteins with molecular masses of 55 and 64 kDa, as determined from immunoblotting with crude human or porcine eye muscle membranes. We cloned a fragment of the 55-kDa protein by screening an eye muscle expression library with affinity-purified anti-55 kDa protein antibody prepared from a TAO patient's serum.

Serum antibodies against the flavoprotein subunit of succinate dehydrogenase are sensitive markers of eye muscle autoimmunity in patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism.

Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy is an autoimmune disorder of the extraocular muscles and orbital connective tissue, which is usually associated with Graves' hyperthyroidism. Well-studied markers of ophthalmopathy are eye muscle membrane antigens, reportedly of approximately 64-kDa molecular mass. One, originally identified only as the 64-kDa protein, has recently been shown to be the flavoprotein (Fp) subunit of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase, which has a correct molecular mass of 67 kDa.

A 63 kDa skeletal muscle protein associated with eye muscle inflammation in Graves' disease is identified as the calcium binding protein calsequestrin.

It is generally accepted that thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an autoimmune disease of the eye muscle (EM) and the surrounding orbital connective tissue in which circulating antibodies play an important role. Antibodies against EM membrane proteins of 63-67kDa mol. wt.

Role of the eye muscles in thyroid eye disease: identification of the principal autoantigens.

Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is a progressive orbital disorder associated with Graves' hyperthyroidism and, less often, Hashimoto's thyroiditis in which autoantibodies react with orbital antigens and lead to exophthalmos and eye muscle inflammation. Eye muscle (EM) membrane proteins initially reported as 55 and 64 kd are the best markers of ophthalmopathy. The "64-kd protein" is now shown to be the flavoprotein subunit of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase and to have a correct molecular weight of 67 kd.