Elevated Anti-Galactosyl Antibody Titers in Endemic Goiter

Anti-Gal is a human polyclonal antibody that constitutes approximately 1% of the circulating immunoglobulin G (IgG), interacts specifically with the mammalian carbohydrate α-galactosyl epitope. Furthermore, it was found to mimic in vitro thyrotropin (TSH) effects regarding stimulation for cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) synthesis 125I uptake, and cellular proliferation on cultured porcine thyrocytes and on Graves' disease thyrocytes, but not on normal human thyrocytes. As immune activation in sporadic and endemic goiters might play a secondary role in regulating thyrocyte proliferation and function, we evaluated anti-Gal titers in endemic goiter. Serum was obtained from 109 Chagas'-negative patients living in an endemic goiter area of Brazil (Grao Mogol, MG) and 160 controls. The patients were divided into 3 groups, according to their goiter size (World Health Organization [WHO] classification): grade 0 (group 1, n = 24), grade I-II (group 2, n = 41), and grade III-IV (group 3, n = 44). Anti-Gal was...