Graves' ophthalmopathy associated antibodies, graves' ophthalmopathy orbital antigen, and methods of use thereof

摘要

Graves' ophthalmopathy associated immunoglobulin and Graves' ophthalmopathy orbital antigen; immunoglobulin genes which are associated with autoimmunity in humans; products and processes involved in the cloning, preparation, and expression of genes for the immunoglobulin and antigen; antibodies directed against the ophthalmopathy associated immunoglobulin (anti-antibody and anti-idiotypic antibody) and antigen; methods of detecting the presence of the ophtalmopathy associated immunoglobulin and/or antigen(s); and pharmaceutical compositions containing anti-idiotypic antibodies, are disclosed. The present invention is also directed to isolated genomic DNA, cDNA, antisense RNA, and RNA containing the immunoglobulin or antigen(s) sequence.