To clarify whether TSH binding inhibitor immunoglobulins (TBII) are antibodies to the membrane site associated with the TSH receptor itself or its neighboring sites, the interactions of TSH and TBII with soluble TSH receptor were investigated with a TSH radioreceptor assay using labeled highly purified bovine TSH (bTSH) and Triton extracts from guinea pig crude fat cell membranes (800-10,000 x g fraction). Treatment of the crude fat cell membranes with 0.5% (vol/vol) Triton X-100 resulted in solubilization of membrane proteins with recoveries of 25-30%, whereas increasing the concentration of Triton X-100 in the assay medium caused a decrease of [125I]bTSH binding to the solubilized membranes. Thus, the solubilized membranes were found to retain the capacity to bind [125I]bTSH below the Triton X-100 concentration of 0.4% in the assay medium. Incubation of the solubilized membranes with [125I]bTSH for 24 h at 4 C led to a steady state of specific binding, while incubation at 37 C resulted in more rapid but less specific binding, with a shorter duration of the steady state. Maximum binding occurred within the physiological pH range. Both TSH and Graves' immunoglobulins (Igs) specifically inhibited [125I]bTSH binding to the solubilized membranes, as demonstrated by polyethylene glycol separation of the [125I]bTSH-solubilized membrane complex from unbound [125I]-bTSH. Scatchard analysis of [125I]bTSh displacement curves for both TSH and Graves' Igs indicated a single class of binding site for each, with an affinity constant of 1.8 x 10(9) M-1. In addition, Igs capable of inhibiting [125I]bTSH binding to the solubilized membranes were detected predominantly in the serum of patients with Graves' disease. These results strongly suggest that TBII are antibodies directed to the TSh receptor itself without strict organ and species specificity.