Comparison of recombinant human thyrotropin receptors versus porcine thyrotropin receptors in the thyrotropin binding inhibition assay for thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies

Thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies (TRAb) are most commonly measured in a thyrotropin-binding inhibition (TBI) assay using solubilized porcine thyrotropin receptors (pTSHR). Recently, we reported modifications in recombinant human thyrotropin receptor (hTSHR) production and extraction that made substitution of this antigen for the pTSHR practical. We now report the first comparison of the behavior in a TBI assay of the recombinant, solubilized hTSHR with the pTSHR in a large series of clinically characterized patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. We studied 227 patients with Graves' disease (32 untreated patients, 156 patients receiving antithyroid medications, 24 patients in remission, 9 patients with recurrence of disease, and 6 thyroidectomized patients), as well as 32 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and 28 normal individuals. In patients with untreated Graves' disease, 29 of 32 (90.6%) were TBI positive with either antigen, although two sera gave discrepant data in the two assay. Of the patients receiving antithyroid drugs, 94 of 156 (60.3%) were positive with the pTSHR and 106 of 156 (67.9%) were positive with the hTSHR TBI assay (P < 0.05%). In all other respects, however, there was no difference between the two TBI assays. Neither assay performed well in providing clinical guidance in the remission or relapse of disease. Of the 24 Graves' patients in remission, 75.0% and 79.2% were TBI negative with the hTSHR and pTSHR assays, respectively. The TBI assay at the time of relapse was even less informative; 6 of 9 (66.7%) being TBI negative in the pTSHR assay and 3/9 (33.3%) being negative in the hTSHR assay. In TBI assays with both species of TSHR, 3 of 32 hypothyroid patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis were TBI positive. In summary, production of the recombinant hTSHR is now a practical reality and this antigen can clearly substitute at least as well for the pTSHR in the imperfect, although most commonly used, TBI assay. It is, therefore, likely that the hTSHR will supplant the pTSHR in this important assay. However, the use of the hTSHR rather than pTSHR does not appear to provide a major advantage, at least in terms of TBI assay sensitivity, specificity and predictive value.