Induction of thyroid autoantibodies in naive mice by idiotypic manipulation

Previously, we have shown that it is possible to induce, in naive mice, systemic autoimmune diseases (e.g., antiphospholipid syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus) by idiotypic manipulation. In the present study we expanded our experience to examine whether idiotypic manipulation could be utilized to induce organ-specific autoantibodies and a disease mediated by cellular mechanisms, namely, experimental autoimmune thyroiditis. Fifteen BALB/c mice were immunized with a monoclonal mouse anti-human thyroglobulin (hTg) antibody; controls were immunized with an irrelevant mouse IgG. The mice immunized with anti-hTg antibody developed, 6 weeks after immunization, autoantibodies to human thyroglobulin, but not to dsDNA, cardiolipin, or myeloperoxidase. The presence of specific autoantibodies was associated with low production of thyroid hormones, and during a follow-up of 20 weeks the mice did not develop characteristic histological signs of thyroiditis. We conclude that idiotypic manipulation can induce anti-thyroglobulin autoantibodies.