Studies on suppressor cell function in thyroid diseases.

Suppressor cell function of peripheral mononuclear cells has been examined in patients with Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and thyroid cancer, as well as in healthy subjects. Suppressor cell function was assessed through two methods: 1) measurement of enhanced blastogenesis after 24-h preculture and 2) concanavalin A-inducible suppressor activity. The results from the two tests were coincident and indicate that suppressor cell function was significantly decreased in the Graves' disease population but not changed in either the Hashimoto's thyroiditis or the thyroid cancer groups compared to healthy controls. The impairment of suppressor cell function in the Graves' disease population was still observed when patients became euthyroid by treatment with antithyroid drugs, although the treated patients had improved suppressor cell function compared to untreated patients (P = NS). Low activity of suppressor cell function in the Graves' disease population might be a constitutional character based on an inherited abnormality specific for the disease population.