Biomaterial Database

Serum cytokines levels in Graves' disease. 2000

M A Al-Humaidi

Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, PO Box 641, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. m_humdi@yahoo.com

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to look at the serum cytokines profile in newly diagnosed thyrotoxic patients with Graves' disease and to compare their cytokine levels with those of normal control subjects. Furthermore, the levels of T4, being an indicator of the severity of thyrotoxicosis, were also correlated with the Th1/Th2 and proinflammatory cytokines in Graves' disease patients. METHODS Serum IFN-gamma (Th1), IL-10 (Th2), inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, TNF-alpha, sCD23 and sIL-2R cytokine levels were measured in 28 patients with Graves' thyrotoxicosis and in 30 normal controls. RESULTS In Graves' disease patients, the levels of IFN-gamma (mean 142.1 +/- 29.53 units/ml), IL-10 (mean 583.8 +/- 253.3 pg/ml) and IL-4 (mean 132.4 +/- 44.52 pg/ml) were significantly higher than their corresponding levels in controls: IFN-gamma (mean 31.6 +/- 2.08 units/ml, P<0.001), IL-10 (mean 69.8 +/- 31.72 pg/ml, P<0.001) and IL-4 (mean 46.44 +/- 11.53 pg/ml). There was a marked increase in proinflammatory cytokines in Graves' disease patients: levels of IL-6 (481.5 +/- 192.3 pg/ml) and TNF-alpha (30.69 +/- 16.7 pg/ml) were significantly higher than those of normal controls for IL-6 (63.81 +/- 21.72 pg/ml, P<0.001) and TNF-alpha (8.81 +/- 1.72 pg/ml, P<0.001). Similarly the levels of sCD23 (mean 164 +/- 67.03 ng/ml) and sIL-2R (mean 2131 +/- 461.1 units/ml) were significantly higher in GD patients than in the control group (mean 31.24 +/- 11.53 ng/ml, P<0.001) and (mean 345.53 +/- 121.75 units/ml, P< 0.001) for sCD23 and sIL-2R. Furthermore, in thyrotoxic Graves' disease patients, we detected a positive correlation between free T4 and sIL-2R levels (r2 = 0.81, P<0.00), but no significant correlation was found between T4 and the other measured cytokines. CONCLUSIONS The elevated serum cytokines of Graves' thyrotoxic patients reflect the activation and interplay of mixed Th1 and Th2 cells which may be consistent with long standing inflammatory and destructive processes of thyroid gland. The clinical severity of hyperthyroidism in Graves' patients only correlated with sIL-2R.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D005260	Female		Females
D006111	Graves Disease	A common form of hyperthyroidism with a diffuse hyperplastic GOITER. It is an autoimmune disorder that produces antibodies against the THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE RECEPTOR. These autoantibodies activate the TSH receptor, thereby stimulating the THYROID GLAND and hypersecretion of THYROID HORMONES. These autoantibodies can also affect the eyes (GRAVES OPHTHALMOPATHY) and the skin (Graves dermopathy).	Basedow's Disease,Exophthalmic Goiter,Goiter, Exophthalmic,Graves' Disease,Basedow Disease,Hyperthyroidism, Autoimmune,Basedows Disease,Disease, Basedow,Disease, Basedow's,Disease, Graves,Disease, Graves',Exophthalmic Goiters,Goiters, Exophthalmic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D013971	Thyrotoxicosis	A hypermetabolic syndrome caused by excess THYROID HORMONES which may come from endogenous or exogenous sources. The endogenous source of hormone may be thyroid HYPERPLASIA; THYROID NEOPLASMS; or hormone-producing extrathyroidal tissue. Thyrotoxicosis is characterized by NERVOUSNESS; TACHYCARDIA; FATIGUE; WEIGHT LOSS; heat intolerance; and excessive SWEATING.	Thyrotoxicoses
D013974	Thyroxine	The major hormone derived from the thyroid gland. Thyroxine is synthesized via the iodination of tyrosines (MONOIODOTYROSINE) and the coupling of iodotyrosines (DIIODOTYROSINE) in the THYROGLOBULIN. Thyroxine is released from thyroglobulin by proteolysis and secreted into the blood. Thyroxine is peripherally deiodinated to form TRIIODOTHYRONINE which exerts a broad spectrum of stimulatory effects on cell metabolism.	L-Thyroxine,Levothyroxine,T4 Thyroid Hormone,3,5,3',5'-Tetraiodothyronine,Berlthyrox,Dexnon,Eferox,Eltroxin,Eltroxine,Euthyrox,Eutirox,L-3,5,3',5'-Tetraiodothyronine,L-Thyrox,L-Thyroxin Henning,L-Thyroxin beta,L-Thyroxine Roche,Levo-T,Levothroid,Levothyroid,Levothyroxin Deladande,Levothyroxin Delalande,Levothyroxine Sodium,Levoxine,Levoxyl,Lévothyrox,Novothyral,Novothyrox,O-(4-Hydroxy-3,5-diiodophenyl) 3,5-diiodo-L-tyrosine,O-(4-Hydroxy-3,5-diiodophenyl)-3,5-diiodotyrosine,Oroxine,Sodium Levothyroxine,Synthroid,Synthrox,Thevier,Thyrax,Thyroxin,Tiroidine,Tiroxina Leo,Unithroid,L Thyrox,L Thyroxin Henning,L Thyroxin beta,L Thyroxine,L Thyroxine Roche,Levo T,Thyroid Hormone, T4
D016022	Case-Control Studies	Comparisons that start with the identification of persons with the disease or outcome of interest and a control (comparison, referent) group without the disease or outcome of interest. The relationship of an attribute is examined by comparing both groups with regard to the frequency or levels of outcome over time.	Case-Base Studies,Case-Comparison Studies,Case-Referent Studies,Matched Case-Control Studies,Nested Case-Control Studies,Case Control Studies,Case-Compeer Studies,Case-Referrent Studies,Case Base Studies,Case Comparison Studies,Case Control Study,Case Referent Studies,Case Referrent Studies,Case-Comparison Study,Case-Control Studies, Matched,Case-Control Studies, Nested,Case-Control Study,Case-Control Study, Matched,Case-Control Study, Nested,Case-Referent Study,Case-Referrent Study,Matched Case Control Studies,Matched Case-Control Study,Nested Case Control Studies,Nested Case-Control Study,Studies, Case Control,Studies, Case-Base,Studies, Case-Comparison,Studies, Case-Compeer,Studies, Case-Control,Studies, Case-Referent,Studies, Case-Referrent,Studies, Matched Case-Control,Studies, Nested Case-Control,Study, Case Control,Study, Case-Comparison,Study, Case-Control,Study, Case-Referent,Study, Case-Referrent,Study, Matched Case-Control,Study, Nested Case-Control
D016207	Cytokines	Non-antibody proteins secreted by inflammatory leukocytes and some non-leukocytic cells, that act as intercellular mediators. They differ from classical hormones in that they are produced by a number of tissue or cell types rather than by specialized glands. They generally act locally in a paracrine or autocrine rather than endocrine manner.	Cytokine