Immunoglobulins (E, M, G) and Complement in the Connective Tissues of the Thyroid in Graves's Disease

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Abstract
When 14 thyroid glands from patients with Graves's disease were studied by immunofluorescence technic, immunofluorescence in focal areas of the stroma was found in all, as well as in the follicular basement membranes in 10. Positive staining was produced by specific antiserums to human immunoglobulins E, M, and G, and complements C1q and C3. Specificity of immunofluorescent staining was confirmed by a series of maneuvers. This includes loss of staining property from sections of thyroid upon elution with acid citrate solution before staining, but not with phosphate-buffered saline elution, and negative staining for fibrinogen (except intravascularly). No staining was found in a variety of control thyroid glands. The connective-tissue localization of complement and immunoglobulins suggests that Graves's disease may be an immune disorder, with possible links to other immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and nephrosis.