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Abstract
There are three distinct and well characterized thyroid autoantigens-thyroglobulin (Tg), thyroid peroxidase (microsomal antigen/TPO) and the TSH receptor. Auto-antibodies to the TSH receptor are responsible for hyperthyroidism in Graves' disease whereas antibodies to TPO and Tg are associated with the hypothyroidism of Hashimoto's disease and primary myxoedema. However TPO antibodies (and to a lesser extent Tg antibodies) are also found in Graves' disease.
This review summarises the current state of knowledge regarding the structure of the 3 thyroid autoantigens with particular emphasis on their interaction with auto-antibodies.