A case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren's syndrome associated with anti-T3 autoantibodies

Endocrinol Jpn. 1987 Aug;34(4):497-503. doi: 10.1507/endocrj1954.34.497.

Abstract

A case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with Sjögren's syndrome had extremely low serum triiodothyronine (T3) with normal levels of serum thyroxine (T4) measured by single antibody radioimmunoassays (RIAs) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) during steroid treatment. Measurement of serum T3 and T4 with double antibody RIAs showed unusually high T3 and normal T4 concentrations. Examination of her serum revealed the presence of IgG class anti-T3 autoantibodies whose Scatchard plot was analyzed in two components; one with a higher associate constant (8.6 X 10(8)M-1) and a lower binding capacity (5.6 X 10(-7) mol/ml serum); the other a lower associate constant (3.5 X 10(7)M-1) and a higher binding capacity (2.1 X 10(-6) mol/ml serum). Antithyroglobulin (Tg) autoantibody has been positive throughout the seven year observation period. A significant positive correlation between titers of anti-Tg autoantibodies indicated that the antigen of anti-T3 antibodies in the patient could be T3 containing antigenic site(s) on the Tg molecule.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Autoantibodies / analysis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / complications
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology*
  • Radioimmunoassay
  • Sjogren's Syndrome / complications
  • Sjogren's Syndrome / immunology*
  • Triiodothyronine / immunology*

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Triiodothyronine