Horm Metab Res 2023; 55(01): 40-50
DOI: 10.1055/a-1972-5787
Original Article: Endocrine Care

Helper T Cell 17 and Regulatory T Cell Levels in Peripheral Blood of Newly Diagnosed Patients with Autoimmune Thyroid Disease: A Meta-Analysis

Aizhi Chen
1   Department of Clinical Laboratory, Putian First Hospital, Putian, China
,
Liang Huang
2   Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
,
Liqin Zhang
3   Department of Clinical Laboratory, Ganzhou People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, China
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

This article aims to explore associated immune indicators of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) through a meta-analysis of published case-control studies on newly diagnosed AITD patients, intending to provide some suggestions for research on the mechanisms of AITD. Six electronic databases were searched for case-control studies on newly diagnosed AITD patients from inception to August 15, 2022. A random-effects model was used to calculate the standardized mean difference (SMD), odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). A total of 26 articles were included in this meta-analysis. Patients with newly diagnosed AITD had higher levels of helper T cell 17 (Th17) (Hashimoto’s disease (HT): SMD=2.35, 95% CI: 1.98, 2.72; Graves’ disease (GD): SMD=1.61, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.98), lower levels of regulatory T cell (Treg) (HT: SMD=–2.04, 95% CI: –2.67, –1.42; GD: SMD=–1.35, 95% CI: –2.11, –0.58), and lower levels of forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) mRNA (HT: SMD=–2.58, 95% CI: –3.12, –2.05; GD: SMD=–2.13, 95% CI: –2.56, –1.70), compared to the healthy population. In addition, the single nucleotide polymorphism rs3761548 and rs3761549 in the promoter region of FoxP3 showed a higher frequency in the comparison of genotype “CT” only in HT patients than in the healthy population (OR=1.66, 95%CI: 1.18, 2.34). In patients with newly diagnosed AITD, the Th17/Treg ratio imbalance may develop AITD. Monitoring Th17 and Treg levels may become an essential tool to assess the organism’s immune homeostasis and hopefully guide clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 12 July 2022

Accepted after revision: 04 November 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
04 November 2022

Article published online:
09 December 2022

© 2022. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 
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