Monoclonal antibodies to thyroid specific autoantigens.

Monoclonal antibody (MAbs) is a powerful and essential tool to perform studies concerning antigens and antibodies at molecular level. MAbs to major thyroid specific autoantigens, thyroglobulin (Tg), thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and TSH receptor (TSHR), have been prepared and applied for a variety of investigations including the structure of antigens and antibodies, the expression of antigens, the epitopes of antibodies, the functional regions of antigens, mutated antigens in congenital diseases, and clinical applications to diagnosis of various thyroid diseases. Recently, sodium iodide symporter (NIS) was identified and became a potential thyroid autoantigen related to autoimmune thyroid disease, although few MAbs to NIS have been prepared. In this manuscript, I primarily focus on studies concerning MAbs to three major thyroid specific autoantigens, Tg, TPO and TSHR, and summarize studies using the mAbs.