Cloning, sequencing and expression of the human thyrotropin (TSH) receptor: evidence for binding of autoantibodies.

A human thyroid cDNA library was screened by hybridization with a dog thyrotropin receptor (TSHr) cDNA. Sequencing of the resulting clones identified a 2292 residue open reading frame encoding a 744 amino acid mature polypeptide presenting 90.3% similarity with the dog TSHr. Two major transcripts (4.6 and 4.4 kilobases) were identified in the human thyroid which suggests that alternative splicing could generate multiple forms of human TSHr. Transfection of the coding sequence in COS-7 cells conferred to a membrane preparation of these cells the ability to bind specifically TSH. TSH binding was completely displaced by immunoglobulin preparations from patients with idiopathic myxoedema.