EXPRESSION OF T CELL RECEPTOR Vα GENE FAMILIES IN INTRATHYROIDAL T CELLS OF CHINESE PATIENTS WITH GRAVES' DISEASE
- Author:
Jin ZHANG
1
;
Siwen HU
;
Hong WANG
Author Information
1. Corresponding author The the First Afiliated Hospital of China Medical University
- Keywords:
Tcell receptor;
Vαgene;
Graves disease
- From:
Chinese Medical Sciences Journal
2000;15(3):175-178
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective. Patients with Graves' disease (GD) have marked lymphocytic infiltration in their thyroid glands. We examined the gene for the variable regions of the α-chain of the Chinese T-cell receptor( Vα gene) in intrathyroidal Tcells to determine the role of T cells in the pathogenesis of GD and offer potential for the development of immunothera-peutic remedies for GD. Methods. We used the reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) to amplify complementary DNA(cDNA) for the 18 known families of the Vα gene in intrathyroidal T cells from 5 patients with Graves' disease.The findings were compared with the results of peripheral blood T cells in the same patients as well as those in normalsubjects. Results. We found that marked restriction in the expression of T cell receptor Vα genes by T cells from the thyroidtissue of Chinese patients with GD(P ＜ 0.001). An average of only 4.6 ± 1.52 of the 18 Vα genes were expressed insuch samples, as compared with 10.4 ± 2.30Vα genes expressed in peripheral blood T cells from the same patients.The pattem of expressed Vα genes differed from patient to patient with no clear predominance. Condusions. Expression of intrathyroidal T cell receptor Vα genes in GD is highly restricted suggesting the prima-cy of T cells in causing the disorders.
