Studies on thyroid autoimmune induction using cytosine arabinoside

Cytosine arabinoside administered intradermally prior to and during thyroid immunization failed to suppress the induction of autoimmune thyroiditis in guinea pigs. Although cytosine arabinoside abrogated the humoral antibody response and reduced delayed hypersensitivity, the presence of thyroid histologic lesions was not abated. The severity of histopathologic lesions in the thyroid appeared to be enhanced rather than suppressed. It is suggested that the absence of “late” thyroid antibody may have contributed to the severity of the histologic lesions.