Basil Rapoport, MB, ChB Director, Thyroid Autoimmunity Laboratory
Email: basil.rapoport@cshs.org Phone: (310) 423-4774 Fax: (310) 423-0440

Academic Appointments

Awards and Activities

Research Focus

Pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases, Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The former involves hyperthyroidism caused by autoantibodies that mimic the action of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) by binding to and activating the TSH receptor. In Hashimoto's thyroiditis, extensive lymphocytic infiltration, thyrocyte destruction and fibrosis may lead to hypothyroidism. The laboratory is investigating the structure and function of the thyrotropin receptor as well as immunological and genetic factors associated with an induced animal model of Graves' disease.

Research Contributions

Molecular cloning and expression of the genes for the thyroid peroxidase and the TSH receptor. Molecular cloning and expression of the repertoire of thyroid peroxidase autoantibody genes. Molecular and immunological studies on the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Current investigations include:

Structure and function of the TSH receptor. Graves' hyperthyroidism induced in mice by immunization with Adenovirus expressing the TSH receptor A-subunit. Regulatory T cells in the balance between hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism in the mouse model of Graves' disease.

Selected Publications

1. Chen CR, McLachlan SM, Rapoport B: Identification of key amino Acid residues in a thyrotropin receptor monoclonal antibody epitope provides insight into its inverse agonist and antagonist properties. Endocrinology, 149(7): 3427-34, 2008
2. Mizutori Y, Chen CR, McLachlan SM, Rapoport B: The thyrotropin receptor hinge region is not simply a scaffold for the leucine-rich domain but contributes to ligand binding and signal transduction. Mol. Endocrinol., 22(5): 1171-82, 2008
3. Rapoport B, McLachlan SM: The thyrotropin receptor in Graves' disease. Thyroid, 17(10): 911-22, 2007
4. McLachlan SM, Nagayama Y, Pichurin PN, Mizutori Y, Chen CR, Misharin A, Aliesky HA, Rapoport B: The link between Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a role for regulatory T cells. Endocrinology, 148(12): 5724-33, 2007
5. Chen CR, McLachlan SM, Rapoport B: Suppression of thyrotropin receptor constitutive activity by a monoclonal antibody with inverse agonist activity. Endocrinology, 148(5): 2375-82, 2007
6. McLachlan SM, Nagayama Y, Rapoport B: Insight into Graves' hyperthyroidism from animal models. Endocr. Rev., 26(6): 800-32, 2005