Lymphocytes in peripheral blood and thyroid tissue in children with Graves' disease.
BACKGROUND
This study was undertaken to analyze subsets of lymphocytes in peripheral blood in the early phase and in the thyroid tissue in the late phase of Graves' disease (GD) in children.


METHODS
The study included 30 children with GD and 30 healthy children. Monoclonal antibodies were used to define peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and they were analyzed using the flow cytometer Ortho Diagnostic System. After thyroidectomy, T cells were detected by CD3, CD4, CD8 antibodies, B cells by CD79alpha antibodies, and the antigen presenting dendritic cells (APCs) by CD1alpha antibodies (DakoCytomation) in the thyroid tissue.


RESULTS
Before the treatment, an increased percentage of CD4+ T helper cells and B cells and decreased CD8+ T suppressor/cytotoxic cells were observed in peripheral blood in all the GD children. The number of lymphocytes and dendritic cells in the thyroid tissue increased in the children with GD in comparison to the control group, especially T cells subsets CD4+ and CD8+ and CD79alpha+ B cells. The percentage of T cells in the thyroid tissue was lower and that of B cells was higher than in peripheral blood. In their structure, thyrocytes can have components similar to alpha-chains connected with beta-microglobulins, which were characteristic for APCs.


CONCLUSIONS
The primary defect of immunoregulation in children with GD is probably dependent on a large number and the activity of T helper cells and on a small number and hypofunction of T suppressor cells. The amount of lymphocytes decreased proportionally to the duration of methimazole treatment. The thyrocytes probably can present antigens.
Iwona
Ben-Skowronek
BS
Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Neurology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland. skowroneki@interia.pl
Jadwiga
Sierocinska-Sawa
SS
Elzbieta
Korobowicz
K
Leszek
Szewczyk
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D013965:Thyroidectomy
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal