STUDIES ON SUPPRESSOR CELL-FUNCTION IN THYROID-DISEASES

Suppressor cell function of peripheral mononuclear cells was examined in patients with Graves'' disease, Hashimoto''s thyroiditis, thyroid cancer and in healthy subjects. Suppressor cell function was assessed through 2 methods: measurement of enhanced blastogenesis after 24 h preculture and concanavalin A-inducible suppressor activity. The results from the 2 tests were coincident and indicated that suppressor cell function was significantly decreased in the Graves'' disease population, but was not changed in the Hashimoto''s thyroiditis or the thyroid cancer groups compared to healthy controls. The impairment of suppressor cell function in the Graves'' disease population was still observed when patients became euthyroid by treatment with antithyroid drugs, although the treated patients had improved suppressor cell function compared to untreated patients (P = NS [not significant]). Low activity of suppressor cell function in the Graves'' disease population might be a constitutional character based on an inherited abnormality specific for the disease population.