title: Serum triiodothyronine levels and inflammatory cytokine production capacity.
abstract: Increasing evidence suggests that pro-inflammatory cytokines are at play in lowering peripheral thyroid hormone levels during critical illness. Conversely, thyroid hormones have been suggested to enhance production of inflammatory cytokines. In view of these considerations, we hypothesized a mutual association between triiodothyronine and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Therefore we evaluated the relation between both circulating and induced inflammatory markers and serum thyroid function parameters in the Leiden 85-plus Study. We found that higher circulating levels of inflammatory markers were associated with lower levels of free serum triiodothyronine. In turn, higher serum free triiodothyronine levels were related to higher production capacity of pro-inflammatory cytokines after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide. By combining in vivo and ex vivo data, we were able to demonstrate for the first time the existence of a potential feedback mechanism between thyroid function and immune production capacity. We conclude that maintenance of normal thyroid function might be important for a preserved immune response in elderly human populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, the Netherlands. D.van_Heemst@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Maarten P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rozing
authors.forename: Rudi G J
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Westendorp
authors.forename: Andrea B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: Carolien A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Wijsman
authors.forename: Marijke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frölich
authors.forename: Anton J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Craen
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Heemst
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D014284:Triiodothyronine