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E Davies Jones

Publications and source records attributed to E Davies Jones.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1987

The TSH receptor: structure and interaction with autoantibodies in thyroid disease.

Studies of the TSH receptor using affinity labelling with photoactive derivatives of TSH and analysis by SDS-PAGE have shown that the receptor contains 2 subunits (A and B), linked by a disulphide bridge. Similar results are obtained with TSH receptors from human, porcine and guinea pig thyroid tissue and from guinea pig fat. Analysis of affinity labelled receptors under non-denaturing conditions suggest that subunits additional to the A and B subunits are not present. Hydrodynamic measurements indicate that the receptor A subunit has an approximately spherical structure (Stokes' radius 70 A) and when this interacts with TSH (an elongated structure with Stokes' radius 56A) a very elongated complex (Stokes' radius 104A) is formed. Isoelectric focusing studies of the TSH receptor A subunit, TSH and TSH receptor antibodies indicate that charge-charge interactions are of considerable importance in the binding of hormone and antibody to the receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Isoelectric focusing of the human TSH receptor A subunit.

The water soluble A subunit of the human TSH receptor has been shown to have an isoelectric point of 5. As both TSH and TSH receptor antibodies have isoelectric points in the region of 8-10, charge-charge interactions must be of major importance in the binding of hormone or antibody to the TSH receptor A subunit.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

Interaction of autoantibodies to thyrotropin receptor with a hydrophilic subunit of the thyrotropin receptor.

Reduction of human thyroid membranes with dithiothreitol caused the release of a water-soluble glycoprotein which neutralized the thyrotropin (TSH) receptor-binding and thyroid-stimulating activities of Graves' serum. Analysis of the protein by gel filtration and sucrose density gradient centrifugation allowed estimates of 3.45 nm for the Stokes' radius, 3.6 S for the s20,w and 47 000 +/- 5000 (mean +/- S.D.; n = 4) for the Mr. The material released by dithiothreitol treatment could be crosslinked to 125I-labelled TSH coupled to N-hydroxysuccinimidyl 4-azidobenzoate (125I-HSAB-TSH), suggesting that it contained a component of the TSH receptor. Furthermore, analysis of the crosslinked material by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis indicated that it contained the TSH receptor A subunit (Mr 50 000). Several factors suggested therefore that the glycoprotein released by dithiothreitol treatment of human thyroid membranes was the TSH receptor A subunit. In particular, (a) both preparations were hydrophilic and were released from membranes by reduction, (b) they had similar Mr values and (c) both preparations crosslinked to 125I-HSAB-TSH. Material similar to the TSH receptor A subunit was released from thyroid membranes by treatment with papain, probably as a result of cleavage of the receptor A subunit at a site close to the interchain disulphide bridge. A similar mechanism, involving thyroid proteinases, was probably involved in release of material with similar properties to the TSH receptor A subunit during freezing and thawing of human thyroid homogenates.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1985

Thyrotropin receptor antibodies.

The thyrotropin (TSH) receptor is an integral membrane protein which contains 2 subunits linked by a disulphide bridge. The A subunit (mol. wt. 50,000) is water soluble and forms the binding site for TSH, whereas the B subunit (mol. wt. 30,000) penetrates the lipid bilayer and probably forms the site for interaction with adenylate cyclase. Autoantibodies to the TSH receptor are found in the sera of patients with Graves' disease. The antibodies bind to the same region of the receptor's A subunit as TSH and usually act as TSH agonists, causing hyperthyroidism. Occasionally, TSH receptor autoantibodies are found which can act as TSH antagonists. Isoelectric focusing and binding studies indicate that these antibodies also bind to the same region of the receptor A subunit as TSH.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

A water-soluble fragment of the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor which binds both thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies.

Previous studies have shown that freezing and thawing of human thyroid homogenates releases a water-soluble substance which reversibly binds to TSH-receptor antibodies. This substance has been designated long-acting thyroid stimulator absorbing activity (LAA). We now describe a new method for measuring LAA based on the TSH-receptor assay and application of the technique to the study of LAA. Our results indicate that LAA is a heat-labile glycoprotein which co-elutes with haemoglobin on gel filtration. Furthermore, LAA is retarded by columns of Sepharose-TSH but not by Sepharose coupled to human chorionic gonadotrophin, normal immunoglobulin G or bovine serum albumin, suggesting that LAA contains a binding site for TSH as well as for TSH-receptor antibodies. It would seem therefore that LAA is a water-soluble fragment of the TSH receptor possibly resulting from proteolytic cleavage of the receptor at a site close to the cell surface.

Antibodies↗