title: High levels of serum soluble interleukin-2 receptors in hyperthyroid patients: correlation with serum thyroid hormones and independence from the etiology of the hyperthyroidism.
abstract: The serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptors (s-IL-2R) and soluble CD8 antigens (s-CD8) were measured in 33 patients with Graves' disease (GD), 29 with toxic nodular goiter (TNG), 6 with toxic adenoma (TA), and 12 with hypothyroidism, as well as in 11 patients with infectious mononucleosis (known to have high s-IL-2R and s-CD8 levels) and 34 normal controls. Serum levels of T3 and T4, both total and free, and of TSH were simultaneously determined. s-IL-2R levels were significantly higher in all patients with hyperthyroidism (mean +/- SD, 3276 +/- 1273 U/mL for GD, 4183 +/- 1832 for TNG, and 1671 +/- 648 for TA) compared to normal control values (P less than 0.001 for GD and TNG and P less than 0.01 for TA), while in the euthyroid state they were within the normal range (535 +/- 240 U/mL). Hypothyroid patients had significantly lower s-IL-2R levels compared to normal controls (P less than 0.05). A positive correlation (P less than 0.001) between serum s-IL-2R levels and total/free T3-T4 levels was found in these groups of patients, while no correlation between s-CD8 levels and s-IL-2R/T3/T4 was found. These findings suggest an association between hyperthyroxinaemia and activation of human lymphocytes in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koukkou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panayiotidis
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alevizou-Terzaki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thalassinos
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000150:complications; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013974:Thyroxine