[Effect of passive lymphocyte transfer on the course of autoimmune thyroiditis in guinea pigs].

Effects of adoptive transfer of T lymphocytes from normal animals (intact and in vitro pretreated with tactivin) on the expression of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis in guinea pigs were studied. Thyroiditis development was characterized by immunocompetent cell imbalance, formation of antithyroid antibodies, development of diffuse and focal lymphoid-plasmacytic infiltration in thyroid tissues. A single injection of intact T lymphocytes normalized the immunity status and significantly (by three times) reduced the lymphoid infiltration area but did not augment thyroxin secretion in animals with thyroiditis. Immunotherapy of the condition with tactivin-activated lymphocytes was found more effective, for it enhanced serum thyroxin secretion, normalized the immunity status, and reduced lymphoid-plasmacytic infiltration of the thyroid.