Autoimmunity - Endocrine
This chapter discusses endocrine autoimmunity, with a particular focus on the autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs). Autoimmune diseases are characterized by autoreactive lymphocytes that can cause a spectrum of disease pathology, either through the formation of antibodies that react against host tissues or effector T cells that are specific for endogenous self-peptides. Endocrine autoimmune disorders, however, are largely organ specific and sometimes cell type specific. Thyroid disorders are the most common of the autoimmune endocrinopathies with Graves' disease (GD) being the most prevalent of all autoimmune diseases. Graves' disease is typically marked by a thyrotoxic state and gland enlargement (goiter) and is the result of a predominantly stimulating autoimmune process. In contrast, autoimmune thyroiditis represents a spectrum of clinical outcomes that predominantly result in a hypothyroid state. Animal models are developed for each of the autoimmune endocrinopathies with some success. These models have greatly advanced the understanding of the effector mechanisms involved in disease expression and have allowed investigation into defining the important serologic markers of each disease.
