[Effects of human interferon-alpha on periphral blood mononuclear cells of the patients with autoimmune thyroid disease].
Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy for hepatitis and malignant tumor frequently results in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD); this fact indicates an association of IFN-alpha with autoimmunity. In order to study the mechanism, an investigation of the effects of human IFN-alpha on T cells, T cell subpopulations, B cells, macrophages and natural killer cells of patients with AITD and normal controls was carried out. It has been found that T cells were inhibited by IFN-alpha with dosage dependency, particularly the T suppressor (CD8/CD11b) in both the patients with AITD and normal controls. An increase in number of B cells and macrophages with stimulation of IFN-alpha was also found in both groups. The results suggest that the decrease of suppressive T cells and increase B cells and macrophages may be responsible for IFN-alpha induced autoimmunity.
Teng
W
W
First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang.
Chen
L
L
Shan
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000276:immunology*
D016898:Interferon-alpha