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Reverse transcriptase is elevated in the thyroid tissue from Graves' disease patients.

A Nagasaka1, A Nakai, N Oda

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine and Surgery, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.

Clinical Endocrinology
|August 10, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Graves' disease thyroid tissue shows high reverse transcriptase (RT) activity, suggesting a link between retroviral infection and this autoimmune disorder. This finding may indicate retroviral DNA integration as a factor in Graves' disease development.

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Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Virology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Graves' disease involves thyroid gland hypertrophy due to an autoimmune response against TSH receptors.
  • A potential correlation between autoimmune diseases, including thyroid disorders, and retroviral genome expression has been proposed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between thyroid autoimmune disorders and retroviral infections.
  • To use reverse transcriptase (RT) activity in thyroid tissues as a marker for retroviral infection.

Main Methods:

  • Thyroid tissues from patients with various thyroid disorders (Graves' disease, adenoma, carcinoma, normal) and Graves' disease lymphocytes were analyzed.
  • A specific and improved assay system was employed to measure RT activity.

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Main Results:

  • Thyroid tissue extracts from Graves' disease patients exhibited high RT activity, similar to retroviral activity.
  • The detected RT activity was associated with an endogenous template RNA complex and confirmed to be distinct from other DNA polymerases.

Conclusions:

  • Retroviral RT, differentiated from cellular DNA polymerases, is expressed in the thyroids of individuals with Graves' disease.
  • Integrated retroviral DNA may trigger Graves' disease in a suitable genetic and immunological context.