Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 74, 724-731, Copyright © 1992 by Endocrine Society
Immunohistochemical detection and localization of a 72-kilodalton heat shock protein in autoimmune thyroid disease
AE Heufelder, JR Goellner, BE Wenzel and RS Bahn
Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.
Recently described immunological functions for heat shock proteins (HSPs)
and our previous demonstration of site-selective HSP-72 expression in
cultured fibroblasts derived from extrathyroidal manifestations of Graves'
disease (GD) prompted us to determine whether expression of the inducible
72-kilodalton HSP can be detected in human thyroid tissues.
Immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded
thyroid tissue specimens from patients with GD, Hashimoto's thyroiditis
(HD), and multinodular goiter (MNG) as well as on normal thyroid tissue. A
mouse monoclonal anti-HSP-72 antibody and an ultrasensitive
avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex detection system were used for these
studies. Striking differences in HSP-72 immunoreactivity were detected both
between tissues from GD and HD compared with MNG and normal thyroid and
between GD thyroid glands treated preoperatively with antithyroid
medication and untreated GD glands. Strong HSP-72 reactivity in GD and HD
tissues was detected in thyroid follicles as well lymphocytic infiltrates.
No HSP-72 reactivity was detected in MNG or normal thyroid tissue. HSP-72
immunoreactivity was markedly reduced in GD glands that received
preoperative antithyroid drug treatment. In conclusion, high levels of
HSP-72 expression in autoimmune thyroid disease may reflect a state of
chronic cellular stress, but could also represent an immunomodulatory
factor of relevance in the autoimmune process in GD.
