Relationship between potency of blocking type thyrotropin-binding inhibitor immunoglobulin in three women with primary myxedema and thyroid function of their neonates.

Three neonates born to three mothers with primary myxedema who have thyrotropin-binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) were continually examined after birth. One neonate showed a high TSH level in mass-screening for congenital hypothyroidism and developed transient hypothyroidism. Her TBII disappeared at 114 days of age, and she remained euthyroid after discontinuation of thyroxin replacement at 146 days of age. The other two neonates were euthyroid, though they had positive TBII. In three mothers, the doses of IgGs that inhibited 125I-TSH binding to the level of 50% were compared. The potency of IgG from the mother whose neonate developed hypothyroidism was stronger than that of IgG from the other two mothers. And the elevation of cAMP induced by bovine TSH in suspension culture with porcine thyroid follicles was significantly reduced in the presence of IgG from the three mothers when compared with normal IgG. The thyroid-stimulation blocking activity was more potent in the mother whose neonate developed hypothyroidism than in the other two mothers. This study suggests that the thyroid function of neonates born to primary myxedema with blocking type TBII is influenced by the potency of TSH-binding inhibitor and thyroid-stimulation blocking activity of the mother.