The Dynamic State Research Of Serum TNF-α,IFN-γ,IL-2 And IL-6 In Patients With Graves Disease

OBJECTIVES The purpose of our investigation is to explore the mechanism of Graves disease and the correlation among TNF- α,IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-6.METHODS We divide 105 patients with Graves disease into 3 groups: (1) Untreated group:40 samples at the time of diagnosis.(2)Remitted group: The patients of 40 samples are remitted after regular treatment with antithyroidism drugs.(The symptoms disappear obviously, the levels of FT3, FT4 TSH are normal) (3)Relapse group: The patients with Graves disease who had been treated for two years at least relapse after half a year, total 25.Moreover,40 samples age and sex matched healthy subjects served as controls. Venous blood samples of the patients were collected at eight O'clock: before treatment, after treatment and relapse, then separated them and saved. Venous blood samples of the control group were collected at check-up. The levels of FT3, FT4, TSH were measured with CIA;The levels of TNF- α,IL-2 and IL-6 were measured with RIA;The level of IFN-γ was measured with ELISA.RESULTS FT3, FT4, TNF-α, IFN-γ,and IL-6 levels before treatment are higher than those in controls, statistic difference is defected between them. TSH, IL-2 levels before treatment are lower than those in controls, statistic difference is defected between them. After regular treatment with antithyroidism drugs,FT3, FT4, IL-6 levels in remitted group descended obviously, statistic difference was defected between remitted group and controls. TNF- α, IFN-γ levels are higher than those in controls, although they descend. TSH, IL-2 levels go up obviously, nearing tothose in controls. There is a positive correlation between TNF- a x IFN- Y ^ IL-6 levels and FT3 > FT4 levels before treatment. There is a negative correlation between IL-2 levels and FT3 ^ FT4 levels before treatment. The related coefficients of TNF-a .. IFN- Y -. IL-6 are 0.524^ 0.81 K 0.417, There are positive correlations among them, other cytokines have no relativities.CONCLUSIONS Our study show: TNF- a ? IFN- Y , IL-6 levels go up obviously and IL-2 level descend obviously at the time of diagnosis. The equilibrium between Thl/Th2 is broken, the function of thyroid gland is influenced by the disorder. Therefore, cytokines are important clues to discover the mechanism of Graves disease. There is a closely relation between cytokines levels and the course of Graves disease. There is a certain leading meaning to value the condition,diagnosis,and recover of Graves disease. But TNF- a n IFN- Y levels can't reflect the condition of Graves disease truly. The cytokine level can regulate the function of the thyroid gland. TNF- a n IFN- Y and IL-6 can be increased each other. The function of cytokine should be researched by various experiment methods because of the network and complexity.