Abstract
In an attempt to test effects of methyldopa (inhibitor for suppressor T-cell) on the production of thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins (TSI), peripheral lymphocytes were preincubated with or without the drug followed by cultures with human thyroid plasma membrane for 7 days. Thyroid stimulating activities (TSA) in the supernatants of cultures were measured as cAMP generated during incubation of ATP with bovine thyroid membrane, and then were expressed as a percentage of control level. When the cells were preincubated in the presence of methyldopa, IgG synthesis from both patients and normal subjects generally increased. The pretreatment of methyldopa enhanced mean TSA from a level of 120±48% to 192±57% in the patients (P 0.01), while the effect was not observed in normal subjects. All these activities producted by lymphocytes in vitro were well correlated with those of IgG purified from the sera through DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. These results demonstrated that methyldopa is of use for in vitro production of TSI. The findings suggest that the inhibitory effect of methyldopa on T-cell proliferation may enhance the TSI production.
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Takata, I., Sato, T. Effect of methyldopa on thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins producted by peripheral lymphocytes from patients with juvenile Graves'disease. Pediatr Res 15, 1555 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198112000-00122
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198112000-00122