Increased macrophage colony-stimulating factor levels in patients with Graves' disease.
Previous studies have found markedly elevated serum concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines in patients with Graves' disease (GD). We investigated the role of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) in GD. We assayed concentrations of M-CSF in sera from 32 patients with GD (25 untreated; 7 receiving thiamazole therapy). We also studied 32 age-matched healthy subjects as controls. Relationships between serum M-CSF and both thyroid state and serum lipids were examined. Moreover, to examine the effect of thyroid hormone alone on serum M-CSF, T3 was administered orally to normal subjects. Serum concentrations of M-CSF in GD patients who were hyperthyroid were significantly increased compared with GD patients who were euthyroid (P < 0.05) and control subjects (P < 0.0001). Serum M-CSF concentrations correlated closely with T3 levels in patients (r = 0.51, P < 0.005). Serial measurement of five individual patients revealed that serum concentrations of M-CSF were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), reaching normal control values upon attainment of euthyroidism. Furthermore, oral T3 administered to 15 volunteers for 7 days produced significant increases in serum levels of M-CSF (P < 0.05). The close correlation between serum M-CSF and serum thyroid hormone levels suggests that high circulating levels of thyroid hormones may directly or indirectly potentiate the production of M-CSF in patients with GD.
Morishita
Eriko
E
Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, 5-11-80 Kodatsuno, Kanazawa, 920-0942, Japan. eriko@med3.m.kanazawa-u.ac.jp.
Sekiya
Akiko
A
Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, 5-11-80 Kodatsuno, Kanazawa, 920-0942, Japan.
Hayashi
Tomoe
T
Department of Cellular Transplantation Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0942, Japan.
Kadohira
Yasuko
Y
Department of Cellular Transplantation Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0942, Japan.
Maekawa
Mio
M
Department of Cellular Transplantation Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0942, Japan.
Yamazaki
Masahide
M
Department of Cellular Transplantation Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0942, Japan.
Asakura
Hidesaku
H
Department of Cellular Transplantation Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0942, Japan.
Nakao
Shinji
S
Department of Cellular Transplantation Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0942, Japan.
Ohtake
Shigeki
S
Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, 5-11-80 Kodatsuno, Kanazawa, 920-0942, Japan.