title: A higher frequency of circulating IL-22(+)CD4(+) T cells in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  IL-22 and IL-17A are implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. However, the role of IL-22(+) and IL-17A(+) CD4(+) T cells in the pathogenesis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is not fully understood. This study investigates serum IL-22 and IL-17A levels and determines the frequency of circulating IL-22(+) CD4(+) T cells in HT patients to understand their roles in the pathogenesis of HT.
  
  
  METHODS
  The levels of serum IL-22, IL-17A and IFN-γ and the frequency of circulating IL-22(+)CD4(+) and IL-17A(+)CD4(+) T cells in 17 HT patients and 17 healthy controls (HC) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and flow cytometry. The levels of serum free triiodothyronine (FT4), free thyroxine (FT3), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay and radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentages of circulating IL-22(+)CD4(+) and IL-17(+)CD4(+) T cells (p<0.0001, p<0.0001) and the levels of serum IL-22, IL-17A and IFN-γ (p<0.0001, p<0.0001, p = 0.0210) in the HT patients were significantly higher than that in the HC. The percentages of IL-22(+)CD4(+) T cells were positively correlated with Th17 cells (r = 0.8815, p<0.0001) and IL-17A(+)IL-22(+)CD4(+) T cells (r = 0.8914, p<0.0001), but were negatively correlated with Th1 cells (r = -0.6110, p<0.0092) in the HT patients. The percentages of Th22 cells, Th17 cells and IL-17A(+)IL-22(+)CD4(+) T cells were negatively correlated with the levels of serum TSH in the HT patients (r = -0.8402, p<0.0001; r = -0.8589, p<0.0001; r = -0.8289 p<0.0001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A higher frequency of circulating IL-22(+)CD4(+) and IL-17A(+)CD4(+) T cells may be associated with the development of HT in Chinese patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, The Second Part of the First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Department of Central Laboratory, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China ; Department of Endocrinology, The Second Part of the First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Xi-Ge
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Department of Central Laboratory, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China ; Department of Endocrinology, The Second Part of the First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Department of Central Laboratory, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China ; Department of Endocrinology, The Second Part of the First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Bing-Chuan
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Second Part of the First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Song
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Department of Central Laboratory, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma; D020381:Interleukin-17; D007378:Interleukins; D013972:Thyrotropin; D000097043:Interleukin-22