Apoptosis of blood lymphocytes in autoimmune thyropathies

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a study of lymphocyte apoptosis in the blood of 81 patients presenting with autoimmune thyropathies, such as autoimmune thyroidism (AIT) and Grave's disease (GD). It was shown that AIT in patients with hypothyroidism and DTG is associated with an increased number of CD95+ lymphocytes «doomed» to apoptose. Moreover, AIT and DTG conditions are characterized by an elevated level of serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). In euthyroid patients with AIT, this rise is accompanied by a decrease in the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) level. Hypotyroid patients with AIT exhibit positive relationship between an increased number of CD95+ lymphocytes in blood and serum TNF-α levels.