Infiltrating T-lymphocyte Receptor Vβ Gene Family Utilization in Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

Abstract

The expression of T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) Vbeta genes in autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) was investigated. RNA was extracted from the thyroid tissue of 23 patients with early-stage Graves' disease, 19 patients with late-stage Graves' disease and 20 patients with Hashimoto's disease. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients and 20 normal subjects (controls) were analysed in parallel. AITD was found to be associated with diminished TCR Vbeta gene family utilization. In addition, AITDs appeared to select for specific TCR Vbeta families. The Vbeta3, Vbeta5 and Vbeta8 families were expressed more frequently in thyroid-infiltrating T-lymphocytes of early-stage Graves' disease than other Vbeta gene families. Selective expression was not observed in infiltrating T-lymphocytes obtained from thyroid tissue of patients with late-stage Graves' disease or Hashimoto's disease. Preferentially expressed TCR Vbeta gene families may be useful as molecular targets for targeted immunotherapy of AITDs.

Association of the thyroglobulin gene polymorphism with autoimmune thyroid disease in Chinese population

“…The additional finding in this study that Tg seems to be involved in the production of Tg autoantibody in AITD patients suggests that missense SNPs in the Tg gene may enhance the antigenicity of the Tg protein [20]. However, while thyroglobulin is clearly a major thyroid-specific antigen, there is no evidence that the corresponding antibodies cause tissue or cell damage in AITD [21].…”

“…Patients were classified according to clinical and biochemical assessment as having AITD, and were subclassified as having either GD (n = 146, 32 men and 114 women, mean age 37.33 ± 14.39 years) or HT (n = 82, 16 men and 66 women, mean age 35.51 ± 13.76 years). AITDs were diagnosed based on previously published clinical and laboratory findings [20]. Briefly, GD was defined by biochemical confirmation of hyperthyroidism, and two of the following criteria: diffuse goiter, thyroid-related eye disease, or a combination of positivity for anti-thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibody (TRAb), anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab), and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (Tg-Ab).…”