title: Serum interleukin-22 (IL-22) is increased in the early stage of Hashimoto's thyroiditis compared to non-autoimmune thyroid disease and healthy controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is considered to be a Th1-related autoimmune disease (AID). Recent studies revealed that Th17 lymphocytes (producing mostly IL-17, IL-21 and IL-22) play a major role in numerous AIDs commonly thought to be Th1 diseases. More recently, another subset of Th cells, which produce IL-22 and thus so-called Th-22, have been identified. Few data are available in the literature on the role of IL-22, the main soluble mediator of both Th17 and Th22 cells, in HT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using IL-22 Quantikine ELISA Kit (lower limit of detection 0.7 pg/ml), we assayed serum levels of IL-22 in three groups of subjects: newly diagnosed HT patients (n=55, 5 males and 50 females, age 38±17 years), non-HT patients with nodular goiter (n=30, 4 males and 26 females, age 43±14 years) and an age- and sex-matched group of healthy individuals. HT patients were euthyroid and were not receiving any treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HT patients showed significantly higher levels of serum IL-22 (group A, 42±34 pg/ml) as compared to non-HT-goitrous patients (18±15 pg/ml; P<0.001) and healthy controls (20±13 pg/ml; P=0.014). Serum IL-22 levels did not differ between non-HT-goitrous patients and healthy controls (p=0.496). No significant correlation was found between serum levels of IL-22 and Tg-Ab, TPO-Ab or TSH in the HT patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum IL-22 is increased in newly diagnosed, untreated HT patients, as compared to thyroid autoimmune disease-free individuals. Our data suggest that IL-22 could play some role in the development of HT.
authors: Unit of Endocrinology, A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Martino", Messina, Italy.
authors: Rosaria Maddalena
authors: RM
authors: Ruggeri
authors: School and Unit of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Messina, Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Minciullo
authors: School and Unit of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Messina, Italy.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Saitta
authors: Unit of Endocrinology, A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Martino", Messina, Italy.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Giovinazzo
authors: Unit of Endocrinology, A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Martino", Messina, Italy.
authors: Rosaria
authors: R
authors: Certo
authors: Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences and of Morphological and Functional Images, Messina, Italy.
authors: Alfredo
authors: A
authors: Campennì
authors: Unit of Endocrinology, A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Martino", Messina, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Trimarchi
authors: School and Unit of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Messina, Italy.
authors: Sebastiano
authors: S
authors: Gangemi
authors: Unit of Endocrinology, Master on Childhood, Adolescent and Women's Endocrine Health; University of Messina, Interdepartmental Program of Molecular and Clinical Endocrinology & Women's Health; A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Martino", Messina, Italy.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Benvenga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007378:Interleukins; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D000097043:Interleukin-22