Antithyroid autoantibodies
Antithyroid Autoantibodies
Antithyroid autoantibodies (pronunciation: an-ti-thy-roid au-to-an-ti-bod-ies) are a group of autoantibodies that are produced by the body's immune system and target the thyroid gland. These autoantibodies can cause thyroid disease, including Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
Etymology
The term "antithyroid autoantibodies" is derived from the Greek words "anti" meaning against, "thyreos" meaning shield (referring to the thyroid gland's shield-like shape), and "auto" meaning self. The term "antibodies" comes from the Latin "anti" meaning against and "corpus" meaning body.
Types of Antithyroid Autoantibodies
There are three main types of antithyroid autoantibodies: Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb), Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb), and Thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies (TRAb).
- Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) target an enzyme in the thyroid gland that is involved in the production of thyroid hormones.
- Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) target a protein in the thyroid gland that is used to produce thyroid hormones.
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies (TRAb) target a receptor on the thyroid gland that is involved in the regulation of thyroid hormone production.
Clinical Significance
The presence of antithyroid autoantibodies in the blood can indicate an autoimmune thyroid disease. These autoantibodies can cause the immune system to attack the thyroid gland, leading to inflammation and damage. This can result in conditions such as Graves' disease, which is characterized by an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), or Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is characterized by an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
Testing for Antithyroid Autoantibodies
Testing for antithyroid autoantibodies is typically done through a blood test. This test can help diagnose autoimmune thyroid diseases and can also be used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment for these conditions.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Antithyroid autoantibodies
- Wikipedia's article - Antithyroid autoantibodies
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