Thyroid antibodies in Graves' disease. An immunofluorescence study

The sera of fifty patients suffering from Graves' disease were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence. Normal human thyroid tissue was used as antigen. Antibodies against four different thyroid antigens were detected i.e. follicular cell microsoma, thyroglobulin, follicular basement membrane and follicular cell nuclei. Two types of antibodies binding to the basement membrane were described. Antibodies against the first and second colloid antigens could also be detected. The results suggest that by indirect immunofluorescence four thyroid antibodies, more than known to the literature, are detectable.