title: B Cell Activating Factor (BAFF) and BAFF Receptor Expression in Autoimmune and Nonautoimmune Thyroid Diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The B cell activating factor (BAFF) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor family, which controls the survival/proliferation of B cells and is involved in the pathogenesis of a number of autoimmune diseases. The objective of the present study was to investigate the expression of BAFF and BAFF receptor (BAFF-R) in the thyroid tissue of patients affected with autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITD) or multinodular goiter (MNG) compared with those with normal thyroids.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry was performed using a panel of antibodies against BAFF, BAFF-R, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD34, CD79a, CD1a, CD68, and CD163 on the thyroid sections of 27 patients affected with Graves' disease (GD), 23 with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), 16 with nontoxic nodular goiter (NTG), and 15 with toxic nodular goiter (TG), submitted to total thyroidectomy between 2000 and 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall BAFF-R expression in thyrocytes was weak and not different in AITD and MNG. Conversely, a stronger BAFF expression was observed in MNG compared with AITD. BAFF and BAFF-R expression in the infiltrating lymphocytes was higher in AITD compared with MNG. Interestingly, in lymphocytes of follicular-like structures observed in HT, BAFF and BAFF-R were localized in the germinal center or in the mantle, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that BAFF and BAFF-R are expressed in the thyrocytes derived from patients with either AITD or MNG, in addition to the expected expression of BAFF and its receptor in the infiltrating immune cells of GD and HT. These findings suggest a possible involvement of BAFF and its receptors in the pathophysiology of AITD.
authors.affiliation: 1 Graves' Orbitopathy Center , Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Campi
authors.affiliation: 2 Unit of Pathology A.O. San Paolo, Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Delfina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tosi
authors.affiliation: 2 Unit of Pathology A.O. San Paolo, Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: 1 Graves' Orbitopathy Center , Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Guia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vannucchi
authors.affiliation: 1 Graves' Orbitopathy Center , Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Danila
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Covelli
authors.affiliation: 3 Flow Cytometry Service, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: 3 Flow Cytometry Service, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Trombetta
authors.affiliation: 3 Flow Cytometry Service, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Porretti
authors.affiliation: 4 Endocrine Surgery Unit, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vicentini
authors.affiliation: 4 Endocrine Surgery Unit, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Gianmaria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cantoni
authors.affiliation: 5 Ophtalmology Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Currò
authors.affiliation: 1 Graves' Orbitopathy Center , Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beck-Peccoz
authors.affiliation: 2 Unit of Pathology A.O. San Paolo, Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bulfamante
authors.affiliation: 1 Graves' Orbitopathy Center , Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan and Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000166:cytology; D013965:Thyroidectomy
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor; C435926:TNFRSF13C protein, human; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human