Expression Of Prolactin Receptor Messenger Ribonucleic Acid On Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells In Patients With Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Objective: To evaluate the status of the prolactin receptor (PRLR) mRNA whichexpressed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the changes of serumprolactin (PRL) levels in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT)，the relationshipbetween prolactin and its related immune regulatory factor, and to investigate their rolein the pathogenesis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.Methods: groups were divided as follows:Control group: There were32healthy subjects,2males and30females, whose age were(32.59±10.14) years; the subject must had no family history of thyroid disease, whosethyroid function and thyroid size was normal;HT group: There were33newly diagnosed patients with HT combined witheuthyroidism(EUT),1males and32females, whose age were (31.52±9.27) years;The gender and age of two groups were similar, and the subjects were excluded forother thyroid diseases, autoimmune diseases, pregnancy or lactation, acute infection，liver damage or kidney falure.Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time fluorescencequantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) were used to detect the expression of PRLR messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) on PBMC, immunochemiluminescence assay (ICMA) wasused to mesure the level of the serum PRL, thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) andthyroglobμlin antibody (TGAb). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent was used todeterminate the levels of the serum IL-2, IL-4and IL-10.Resμlts:1. Both groups expressed PRLR mRNA on PBMC, while the expression in HT groupwas significantly higherthanthat in the control group (P <0.05);2. The serum PRL level of HT group was higher than that of the control group (P <0.05);3. The level of IL-2was higher than that of the control group (P <0.05), there were nosignificant difference of The IL-4and IL-10level between the HT patients group andthe control group(P>0.05).4. Linear correlation between PRL,PRLR mRNA and TPOAb,TGAb: no significantcorrelation were observed between PRL and TPOAb,TGAb（r=0.026, P=0.886；r=0.086,P=0.631, P>0.05）; no significant correlation were observed between PRLR mRNAand TPOAb,TGAb (r=0.349, P=0.143；r=0.274, P=0.257, P>0.05）.Conclusion: The expression of PRLR mRNA on PBMC is significantly higher inpatients with Hashimoto’S thyroiditis than that in the control group, prolactin Combinedwith its receptor may promote the activation of lymphocytes, participating in thepathogenesis of Hashimoto’S Thyroiditis.