Immunological changes of T helper cells in flow cytometer‑sorted CD4+ T cells from patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Abstract

Abstract. Recent incidence rates for Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and hypothyroidism are higher than those of previous studies. Previous studies indicated that T helper cells may have a major role in the pathogenesis and development of HT, but there is no consensus in the literature. The aim of the present study was to explore the peripheral T helper cell response in the different stages of HT. In this cross-sectional study, we performed flow cytometry analysis to determine the various T cell subsets of 389 patients with HT (34 patients with HT who developed overt hypothyroidism, and 148 patients with HT who developed subclinical hypothyroidism), as well as 51 healthy controls. Anti-thyroid antibodies, and thyroid function were measured. The findings demonstrated that the proportion of peripheral Th1 cells was significantly lower in patients with HT than in healthy euthyroid controls (P<0.001), and the proportion of peripheral Th2, Treg cells was significantly higher in patients with HT than in healthy euthyroid controls (P<0.001). Therefore the Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly lower in HT patients than in healthy euthyroid controls (P<0.001). The Th17/Treg ratio in HT patients was significantly lower than that control subjects (P<0.001). Th1 proportions in patients with overt hypothyroidism HT were significantly higher than in subclinical hypothyroidism HT patients (P=0.031). In conclusion, the findings of the present study demonstrated that there is an increased immune deviation of Th1 lymphocytes and compensatory accelerating activity of Treg cells in HT, and the peripheral Th1 cells from the HT patients correlated to the developmental stage of hypothyroidism.

Impact of Abdominal Obesity on Thyroid Auto-Antibody Positivity: Abdominal Obesity Can Enhance the Risk of Thyroid Autoimmunity in Men

“…Concordantly, cytokines that counteract 1 responses, produced by 2 cell subsets and T regulatory cells, has been shown to have a protective effect on autoimmunity [38]. Our previous studies have found that an increased immune deviation of 1 lymphocytes and compensatory accelerating activity of Treg cells in HT patients [39].…”

Circular RNA Expression Profiling and the Potential Role of hsa_circ_0089172 in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis via Sponging miR125a-3p

“…Factors that enhance the possibility of occurrence of HT mainly include genetic factors, immune effects, and environmental influences. Immune mechanisms hold the dominant position 1, 6, 7. However, details of the mechanisms remain ambiguous.…”

“…The pathogenesis of HT depends on many elements, including genetic predisposition, environmental implication, and immunological factors. Some HT patients suffer from transient hyperthyroidism during the disease process, but the majority ultimately develop hypothyroidism 6, 7. HT is considered a common autoimmune thyroid disease, as well as the cause of the hypothyroidism.…”

The proportion of peripheral blood Tregs among the CD4+ T cells of autoimmune thyroid disease patients: a meta-analysis

“…Considering that there was no consensus about whether different thyroid functions affect the proportions of circulating Tregs in HTs, we rechecked the potentially eligible articles and found one additional study [28]. The proportion of circulating Tregs tended to be lower in subclinical hypothyroid (p = 0.74) and euthyroid (p = 0.59) HTs than in HCs, but the same trend was not found in hypothyroid HTs (p = 0.93) ( Fig.…”