Objective: To investigate the effects of serum component from patients with Graves's disease (GD) on the growth of colony forming unit-granulocyte monocyte (GM-CFU).
Methods: Monocytes were obtained from 11 normal persons and 11 GD patients with leukopenia and culture together with sera from 11 GD patients with leukopenia, 11 GD patients without leukopenia, and 11 normal controls for 10 days. Inverted microscopy was used to count the number of colony.
Results: Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) and serum from GD patients with leukopenia significantly inhibited the formation of GM-CFU (P < 0.01) while methimazole, thyroxine and serum from GD patients without leukopenia did not have any effect on the formation of GFU-GM (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: TSI and serum from GD patients with leukopenia remarkably inhibit GM-CFU growth. Autoimmune abnormality may play an important role in the pathogenesis of leukopenia in patients with GD.