Horm Metab Res 2017; 49(03): 185-191
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-122780
Endocrine Care
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Decreased Frequencies of Peripheral Blood CD4+CD25+CD127Foxp3+ in Patients with Graves’ Disease and Graves’ Orbitopathy: Enhancing Effect of Insulin Growth Factor-1 on Treg Cells

Przemyslaw Pawlowski
1   Department of Medical Pathomorphology, Cathedral of Biostructure, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
2   Department of Paediatric Ophthalmology with Strabismus Treatment Unit, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
3   Department of Ophthalmology, Provincial Combined Hospital in Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
,
Kamil Grubczak
4   Department of Regenerative Medicine and Immune Regulation, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
,
Jerzy Kostecki
5   Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
,
Elzbieta Ilendo-Poskrobko
6   Department of Paediatric Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
,
Marcin Moniuszko
4   Department of Regenerative Medicine and Immune Regulation, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
7   Department of Allergology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
,
Malgorzata Pawlowska
8   Department of Haematology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
,
Robert Rejdak
9   Department of General Ophthalmology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
,
Joanna Reszec
1   Department of Medical Pathomorphology, Cathedral of Biostructure, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
,
Janusz Mysliwiec
5   Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 19 May 2016

accepted 29 November 2016

Publication Date:
21 February 2017 (online)

Abstract

Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) is characterized by orbital T cell infiltration. We evaluated the regulatory T (Treg) cell fractions induced with IGF-1 in Graves’ disease (GD) with and without GO. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from 13 patients with GD without eye manifestations; 10 patients with active GO; and 12 patients with nodular goiter (NG). All the patients from GD, GO, and NG were subclinical hyperthyroid. We analyzed the expression of Treg cell markers (CD4, CD25, CD127, Foxp3) on T cells and their ability to respond to IGF-1 stimulation. In patients with GD without GO, we found lowered percentages of CD4+ Foxp3+ cells, as compared to nodular goiter 1.77 vs. 5.42% (p=0.0276). Similarly, significantly reduced frequencies of CD4+CD25+CD127Foxp3+ and CD4+CD25+CD127 cells were observed in GD patients as compared to nodular goiter patients with hyperthyreosis, (0.7 vs. 1.48%) (p=0.0071) and (14.5 vs. 37.2%) (p=0.0051), respectively. In GO with active GO, only the percentage of CD4+CD25+CD127 cells was found to be decreased versus nodular goiter (9.35 vs. 37.2) (p=0.0275). Stimulation of PBMC derived from GO patients with IGF-1 resulted in significant increase of frequency of both CD4+ Foxp3+ and CD4+CD25+CD127 Foxp3 cells. Decreased frequencies of peripheral blood CD4+CD25+CD127Foxp3+ in patients with GD and GO could be an useful marker of autoimmune process and perhaps a possible target for future therapies. This is the first study demonstrating Treg-enhancing effects of IGF-1. Thus IGF-1 can be accounted for modulating Treg cell-related action in GO.

Supporting Information

 
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