Changes Of CD4+TGF-Beta1+Lymphocytes And Cytokines In Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

Objective : CD4~+TGF-β1~+ cells and TGF-β1 play an important role in a number of autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the plasma levels of Interleukin-17 (IL-17), Transforming Growth Factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), Interleukin-4 (IL-4), Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and the proportion of peripheral of CD4~+TGF-β1~+ cells in human autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD).Methods:We studied 30 patients with Graves'disease (GD) and 15 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and we reevaluated the GD group after methimazol therapy (in euthyroid state). The TGF-β1, IL-17, IFN-γand IL-4 were measured by Enzymeimmunoassay. The CD4~+TGF-β1~+ , Th1, Th2 lymphocytes cells were investigated by flow cytometry analysis FT3,FT4,sTSH,TgAb and TPOAb were measured by electrochemiluminescence.Results: 1. It was showed by Flow Cytometry that the CD4~+TGF-β1~+ cells was dramatically decreased in GD,and significantly increased in HT patients compared to normal contro1 (P<0.05, respectively).2. In GD patients, The levels of IL-4,IL-17,IFN-γwere increased( P<0.05 respectively),yet TGF-β1 was not changed compared with normal contro1s. In euthyroid GD patients, The levels of IL-4 were more increased compared with the GD patients after methimazol treatment, but the leves of IFN-γand IL-17 were not changed.3. In HT patients, The levels of IL-4,IL-17,IFN-γ,TGF-β1 was increased. After the Levothyroxine Sodium treatment, all of those cytokines were not changed.4. Neither CD4~+TGF-β1~+cells nor TGF-β1 were correlated with sexuality,age,FT3,FT4,sTSH,TgAb and TPOAb.Conclusion: The CD4~+TGF-β1~+ cells got higher in HT patients and decreased in GD. The levels of TGF-β1 rose in HT and the Levothyroxine Sodium treatment had no effect on the cytokines. In GD patient, IL-17 had no change after the methimazol treatment.