The Clinical Relationship Study On Serum Levels Of Cytokines And Thyroid Autoantibodies In The Thyroid-associated Ophthalmopathy

Objective:To study the serum levels of interleukin-2(IL-2),interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factora(TNF-a) and TRAb in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy(GO) as well as it's immune mechanisms.Methods:Serum IL-2,IL-6,TNF-αand TRAb,TGAb,TPOAb,FT3,FT4,sTSH were determined in 25 patients with GD (Graves' Disease), 25 patients with GO (Graves' ophthalmopathy) and 20 control case.The IL-2,IL-6,TNF-α,TRAb levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. The levels of TGAb,TPOAb,FT3,FT4,sTSH were examined with automated chemiluminecence system.Results:1. In GO group,both IL-6 and TNF-a levels increased compared with GD group and control group(P<0.01, P<0.05); IL-2 levels showed no statistic difference among all groups(P>0.05)。2. TNF-α/IL-6 showed no statistic difference among all groups.3. The serum concentration of TRAb,TGAb,TPOAb in all groups of GD and GO was higher than those controls(P<0.01, P＜0.05), and the serum concentration of TRAb in GO was higher than GD group(P＜0.01).4. There was a positive correlation between TNF-a levels and IL-6 levels (r=0.672, p<0.05); There was a positive correlation between TRAb levels and TNF-α,IL-6 levels (r=0.827,0.608, p<0.05).Conclusions:1. The serum concentration of TNF-a and IL-6 in GD,GO was higher than those in the controls.There was significant differences in serum concentration among these three groups,which showed that Thl and Th2 played important roles in the pathogenesis of two diseases;2.The serum levels of TRAb was significantly higher in patients of GO group than that of NGO group and the controls. It could predict the episode of GO. The conclusions also stated that TSHR did act in the pathogenesis of GO. TRAb has high relation with GO and seems to play an important role in the immunopathogensis of GO.