- Autoantibody is harmful antibody that attacks components of the own body called self antigens.
- Autoantibodies damage body tissues by phagocytosis (ingestion) or lysis (bursting) of healthy cells
- Autoantibodies may target single organ such as thyroid gland in Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, or maybe systemic and attack several organs.
- To investigate autoimmune disease we usually check for ANA first (Anti-Nuclear Antibodies) which is positive in many autoimmune diseases but “not specific”.
- we also check for arthritis and inflammation like CRP + ESR + RF
- There are big list of autoantibodies and their associated autoimmune diseases like Anti-CCP in “rheumatoid arthritis” or Anti-dsDNA in “SLE”
- The Photo below is explanation of Grave Disease which is autoimmune disease affect thyroid gland causing excessive release of thyroid hormones —> Hyperthyroidism
- The Autoantibodies here are directed against TSHR (Throid stimulating hormone receptors)
Graves Disease
