title: Flow cytometry phenotypization of thyroidal lymphoid infiltrate and functional status in Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the thyroidal lymphoid infiltrate (TLI) in thyroidal functional status (TFS) for differences among patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Flow-cytometry (FC) was applied to thyroidal fine-needle cytology samples in 57 patients. TLI was analyzed using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) scan and fluorescence antibodies CD3, CD4, CD5, CD8, CD10, and CD19 and kappa and lambda light chains. TFS was determined by serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), FT3 and FT4 immunoassays, in specific clinical settings, to classify the cases as hyperthyroid, euthyroid and hypothyroid. FC assessment was then compared with the corresponding TFS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  B-lymphocytes were present in 44 cases (77%). T-lymphocytes were present in all the cases; CD4/CD8 = 2:1 ratio was observed in 16 euthyroid, 1 hyperthyroid and 3 hypothyroid; CD4/CD8 > or = 3:1 ratio in 22 euthyroid, 2 hyperthyroid and 2 hypothyroid cases; CD4/CD8 < or = 1:1 ratio in 1 euthyroid, 3 hyperthyroid and in 7 hypothyroid cases. Grouping hyperthyroid and hypothyroid cases, a significant association was observed with the CD4/CD8 < or = 1:1 ratio (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intrathyroidal CD4/CD8 < 1:1 ratio might be the expression of intense apoptosis in the early phases of HT, generally followed by the restoration of CD4/CD8 balance; persistence of increased intrathyroidal CD8 might be related to intense thyroidal damage and thus an increasing risk of hypothyroidism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology and Cytopathology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. zeppa@unina.it
authors.forename: Pio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zeppa
authors.forename: Gilda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lepore
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Troncone
authors.forename: Gelsy A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lupoli
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Picardi
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pane
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vetrani
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palombini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000378:metabolism; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000378:metabolism; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine