Th17 and Treg cells in adolescents with Graves’ disease. Impact of treatment with methimazole on these cell subsets

Abstract

The role of T helper 17 (Th17) and T regulatory cells (Treg) in the pathogenesis of Graves' disease (GD) remains uncertain. The influence of methimazole (MMI) on the human immune system is still poorly understood. The aim of the present research was to assess changes in the frequencies of peripheral blood Th17 and Treg cells during GD treatment in the group of teenagers. The frequencies of Th17 and Treg were measured by flow cytometry in 60 adolescents at the time of GD diagnosis and after achieving MMI-induced euthyreosis. The control group consisted of 20 healthy volunteers. Lower percentages and absolute counts of Treg cells were found in the study group before the treatment in comparison with healthy controls (p = 0.032 and p = 0.006, respectively). Treatment with MMI caused an increase in the percentages and absolute counts of Treg lymphocytes (p = 0.037 and p = 0.007). After the treatment, no clinically significant differences in Treg cells between GD patients and controls were found. Higher absolute counts of Th17 lymphocytes were found in hyperthyroid adolescents before the treatment initiation and after achieving euthyreosis than in healthy individuals (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.047). Treatment with MMI caused a significant decrease in the percentages and absolute counts of Th17 lymphocytes (p = 0.047 and p = 0.043). The present study demonstrates that both Th17 and Treg cells might play a role in the pathogenesis of GD. Increased percentage of Treg after MMI therapy seems a predictor of response to anti-hypertensive treatment as it is associated with the normalization of thyroid hormone levels.

Imbalance of Th17/Treg in Different Subtypes of Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases

“…It has been shown that Th17/Treg homeostasis was broken in multiple autoimmune diseases [13,14]. We and other investigators once conducted research on Th17 or Treg lymphocytes in GD or HT [15,16,17]. However, there has been neither study on Th17/Treg in GO nor a comparative analysis of Th17/Treg in different types of AITDs.…”

The clinical importance of changes in Treg and Th17 lymphocyte subsets in splenectomized patients after spleen injury

“…22 The peripheral blood was diluted 1:1 with a 0.9% phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) without calcium (Ca ) ions (Biochrome AG, Berlin, Germany). The diluted material was then overlaid on 3 mL of Gradisol L preparation (Aqua Medic, Łódź, Poland) with a specific gravity of 1.077 g/mL and subjected to density gradient centrifugation at 700 × g for 20 min.…”

“…The samples were gated on forward scatter vs side scatter to exclude debris and cell aggregates. 22 An example of a cytometric analysis is presented in Fig. 1.…”

Effects of Helper and Regulatory Cells Upon Phenotypic Composition of Blood B Lymphocytes and Thyroid Gland in Graves’ Disease

“…20, 3 2018 ется не только количество Treg в крови, но и на-рушается их функция. Подобное предположение также выдвигается рядом исследователей [7,15].…”

“…Обнаружено, что при БГ количество Treg в крови снижается [10,15]. При проведении тиреостатической терапии и нормализации концентрации тиреоидных гор-монов количество Treg в периферической крови больных повышается [6,7]. Однако механизмы Т-хелперной и регуляторной регуляции функ-циональной активности В-лимфоцитов при БГ раскрыты до сих пор не полностью.…”