Autoimmune thyroiditis: a condition related to a decrease in T-suppressor cells.

Monoclonal antibodies recognizing specific antigenic determinants of peripheral T-lymphocytes (OKT3PAN), helper T-cells (OKT4IND) and suppressor T-cells (OKT8SUP) were used to study the immune regulation in autoimmune thyroiditis. An indirect immunofluorescence microscopy method was employed to quantify the number of different subtypes. In addition, B-lymphocytes were also studied using a fluorescent surface Ig detection technique. Patients with autoimmune thyroiditis--independent of their clinical status--show a decrease in the number of suppressor T-lymphocytes. This finding, in agreement with other functional tests, indicates that the autoimmune phenomenon is linked to a decreased T-suppressor activity.