Apoptosis-induced decrease of intrathyroidal CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells in autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
We previously showed that the proportion of CD4(+) T cells was lower and both the proportion and intensity of Fas expression on intrathyroidal CD4(+) T cells were higher in the thyroid than in the peripheral blood of patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD).

OBJECTIVE:
To clarify whether the intrathyroidal CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells are decreased by Fas-mediated apoptosis in patients with AITD.

DESIGN:
We examined intrathyroidal and peripheral lymphocytes in 20 patients with AITD (15 patients with Gravesâ disease and five patients with Hashimotoâs disease) and peripheral lymphocytes in 10 healthy volunteers by three-color flow cytometry.

MAIN OUTCOME:
The proportion of CD4(+)CD25(+) cells was lower in the thyroid of patients with AITD than in the peripheral blood of the same patients or the peripheral blood of the healthy subjects. The proportions of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD69() cells and Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3)(+)CD4(+)CD25(+) cells, which constitute more specific Treg subsets than CD4(+)CD25(+) cells, were also lower in the thyroid than in the peripheral blood of patients with AITD. The proportion of apoptotic cells was higher among intrathyroidal CD4(+) cells than among peripheral CD4(+) cells and higher among intrathyroidal CD4(+)CD25(+) cells than among intrathyroidal CD4(+)CD25() cells.

CONCLUSION:
These results indicate that intrathyroidal Treg cells are decreased in response to apoptosis in patients with AITD. This decrease in Treg cells may contribute to the incomplete regulation of autoreactive T cells in AITD.

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Author information

Author/s: Nakano, Aiko (A); Watanabe, Mikio (M); Iida, Takao (T); Kuroda, Shoko (S); Matsuzuka, Fumio (F); Miyauchi, Akira (A); Iwatani, Yoshinori (Y);

Affiliation: Division of Biomedical Informatics, Course of Health Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association (Thyroid), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Jan; vol 17 (issue 1) : pp 25-31

Dates: Created 2007/02/05; Completed 2008/08/28;

PMID: 17274744, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Antigens, CD4 - metabolism
Apoptosis - immunology
Female
Flow Cytometry
Humans

Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit - metabolism
Male
Middle Aged
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - cytology; immunology; metabolism
Thyroid Gland - immunology; pathology
Thyroiditis, Autoimmune - immunology; pathology

Associated Chemicals: Antigens, CD4 (0) ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit (0)

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