title: [Gene and protein expression of thyrotropin-receptor in retro-bulbar tissue from thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate gene and protein expression level of thyrotropin-receptor (TSHR) in retro-bulbar connective tissue and fat tissue in patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retro-bulbar tissues specimens were obtained from 11 cases of TAO patients and 10 control cases during the operation. RNA was extracted from the tissue specimens using single-step method of acid guanidinium-thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction and TSHR mRNA was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunochemistry staining was performed in patients expressed TSHR, using a mouse polyclonal anti-TSHR peptide antibody to observe protein expression level of TSHR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The size of TSHR mRNA segment is 521 bp. The rate of TSHR mRNA expression in TAO retro-bulbar tissue was 91% and was 20% in the control cases, the former was significantly greater than the later. Protein expression rate was 66.7% in TAO patients, and was negative in the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High TSHR mRNA expression level and protein level in TAO retro-bulbar tissue and no expression in control tissue indicate that TSHR exists as a common antigen in the orbit and thyroid, and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of TAO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300211, China. sfyeye@sina.com
authors.forename: Feng-yuan
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Guo-xiang
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ji-wu
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D049970:Graves Ophthalmopathy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009915:Orbit / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin