[Relationship between estrogen receptor and Graves' disease].
OBJECTIVE
To study the relation of expression of estrogen receptor (ER) in thyroid tissues with Graves' disease (GD).


METHODS
ER was detected in the tissues of 40 patients with GD and 15 patients with normal thyroid by immunohistochemical method. Gene expression of ER was studied in frozen slides of 26 GD thyroids and 10 normal thyroids by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) together with image analysis system.


RESULTS
In immunohistochemical detection, the positive rate of ER in GD group was 70% (28/40), but 13.3% (2/15) in the control group (P < 0.01). The positive degree of ER in female with GD was higher than that in male with GD (P < 0.05). The positive rate of ER in the female GD group below 35 years was 85.0% (17/20) and 50% (5/10) in the female GD group above 35 years (P < 0.05). In FISH, the optical density (A) value of the female GD group was 30.14 +/- 10.74, and in the male GD group 21.06 +/- 7.71, but in the control group it was 16.91 +/- 5.30 (P < 0.01). The A value of the female GD group below 35 years was 33.85 +/- 10.10, and 23.24 +/- 7.48 in the female GD group above 35 years (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The increasing of ER content is related to the development of GD. Estrogen may be a promoting factor for GD. The sex and age differences in GD development are associated with the effects of estrogen and ER.
Wang
S
S
Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yan-sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Mao
S
S
Zhao
G
G
Wu
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism*
D004967:Estrogens; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen