Thyroid Growth Immunoglobulins in Non-Toxic Goitre: A Comparison of Methods

Miller, Helen Jackson (1999) Thyroid Growth Immunoglobulins in Non-Toxic Goitre: A Comparison of Methods. MSc(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Non-toxic goitre (NTG) is one of the commonest thyroid disorders world wide. This study followed, clinically and using ultrasonography, a small group of patients with NTG receiving a 6 month treatment course of sodium thyroxine and observed whether thyroxine would decrease significantly the thyroid volume or palpable size of the thyroid gland. This was not shown to be the case and no change could be demonstrated. Thyroid growth immunoglobulins (TGI) have been implicated in the development of NTG. The presence of TGI in the IgG from the subject groups was determined by their ability to stimulate proliferation in the Fischer rat thyroid cell line (FRTL5). Detection of proliferation in the FRTL5 cells was measured using 3 different methods. The first was colourimetric and used the dye 3-[4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), with which a significant increase in TGI was detected in the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) group when compared with the normal control (NC) and goitre groups. The second method used the incorporation, of 3H-thymidine into FRTL5 cells, this revealed a significant statistical decrease in the post treatment goitre group when compared to the pre treatment goitre group. The final method, a commercially available kit, employed the incorporation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) into FRTL5 cells and showed a significant reduction in the presence of TGI in the MS group when compared to the NC group. The study also revealed poor correlation between the MTT and 3H-thymidine methods. The significance of these results is discussed.

• Item Type: Thesis (MSc(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Additional Information: Adviser: James H McKillop
• Keywords: Medicine
• Date of Award: 1999
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1999-74713
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 27 Sep 2019 17:02
• Last Modified: 27 Sep 2019 17:02
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/74713