title: Functional interleukin-17 receptor A are present in the thyroid gland in intractable Graves disease.
abstract: Th17 lymphocytes and its main cytokine, IL-17, play an important role in autoimmune thyroid diseases, such as intractable Graves disease (GD). IL-17 signals are transmitted through its receptor, IL-17RA. The intrathyroid expression of IL-17RA in intractable GD is not understood. In this study, ELISA was used to measure serum IL-17 levels in patients with untreated GD, intractable GD or GD in remission and healthy controls. Real-time PCR, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence staining evaluated IL-17RA mRNA and protein expression in thyrocytes. IL-6, chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 expression was measured in IL-17-stimulated thyrocyte cultures to evaluate the functional status of IL-17RA. Our data indicates that serum IL-17 levels are significantly increased in intractable GD and affected thyrocytes show functional IL-17R expression. These changes facilitate the IL-17-mediated upregulation of IL-6, CXCL10, and ICAM-1. The IL-17/IL-17R interaction could be a potential target for therapeutic interventions in intractable GD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Union Clinical School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Institute of Endocrinology, Fuzhou 350001, PR China. rongdoc@163.com
authors.forename: Jian-Rong
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fu-Yuan
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jin-Yang
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Guo-Liang
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001324:Autoantigens; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053722:Receptors, Interleukin-17 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; C485433:Cxcl10 protein, mouse; D020381:Interleukin-17; D015850:Interleukin-6; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053722:Receptors, Interleukin-17; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; C078631:SLC25A16 protein, human