Foxp3在自身免疫性甲状腺病患者外周血和病变组织中的表达

目的检测自身免疫性甲状腺病(AITD)患者Foxp3的表达,探讨调节性T细胞(Treg)与AITD发病的关系。方法采用Real-time PCR检测AITD患者及健康对照者外周血及甲状腺组织中Foxp3mRNA的表达;免疫组织化学方法检测甲状腺内Foxp3蛋白的表达;Western blot方法检测外周血单个核细胞Foxp3蛋白的表达。结果与对照组相比,AITD患者外周血单核细胞Foxp3mRNA表达显著降低(P<0.05);桥本甲状腺炎(HT)患者外周血单个核细胞Foxp3蛋白表达下降(P<0.05),Graves病(GD)患者外周血单个核细胞Foxp3蛋白表达与对照组相比无差异(P>0.05)。与对照组相比,HT患者甲状腺组织Foxp3mRNA和蛋白表达均升高(P<0.05),而GD患者甲状腺组织Foxp3mRNA和蛋白表达水平与对照组相比无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论 CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs的减少和/或功能的减退可能是诱导AITD尤其是HT发生的因素。

Expression of Foxp3 in peripheral blood and lesion tissues of patients with autoimmune thyroid disease

Objective To detect the expression of Foxp3 in both peripheral blood mononuclears(PBMCs) and thyroid tissues of patients with autoimmune thyroid disease(AITD),including Graves’ disease(GD) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis(HT) so as to evaluate the relationship between regulatory T cells(Treg) and pathogenesis of AITD.Methods Foxp3 mRNA level was measured by real-time PCR from PBMCs and thyroid tissues of AITD patients and normal controls;Foxp3 protein expression was detected both by a standard immunohistochemical procedure from thyroid tissues and by western blot from PBMCs.Results Foxp3 mRNA level in PBMCs from AITD patients significantly decreased compared with that in normal controls(P<0.05);Foxp3 protein expression was lower only in HT patients from PBMCs,but not in GD patients(P>0.05).Foxp3 mRNA and protein levels were higher in thyroid tissues of HT patients than in normal tissues(P<0.05),but did not differ significantly in thyroid tissues from GD patients(P>0.05).Conclusion The lower expression of Foxp3 in AITD patients suggests that the decreased number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs or dysfunction of these cells may be involved in the development of AITD,especially in HT.