The polymorphisms of thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) intron 1 rs179247 and rs12101255 have been found to be associated with Graves' disease (GD) in genetic studies. In the present study, we conducted a meta-analysis to examine this association. Two reviewers systematically searched eligible studies in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM). A meta-analysis on the association between GD and TSHR intron 1 rs179247 or rs12101255 was performed. The odd ratios (OR) were estimated with 95% confidence interval (CI). Meta package in R was used for the analyses. Seven articles (13 studies) published between 2009 and 2014, involving 5754 GD patients and 5768 controls, were analyzed. The polymorphism of rs179247 was found to be associated with an increased GD risk in the allele analysis (A vs. G: OR=1.40, 95% CI=1.33-1.48) and all genetic models (AA vs. GG: OR=1.94, 95% CI=1.73-2.19; AA+AG vs. GG: OR=1.57, 95% CI=1.41-1.74; AA vs. AG+GG: OR=1.54, 95% CI=1.43-1.66). The site rs12101255 also conferred a risk of GD in the allele analysis (T vs. C: OR=1.50, 95% CI=1.40-1.60) and all genetic models (TT vs. CC: OR=2.22, 95% CI=1.92-2.57; TT+TC vs. CC: OR=1.66, 95% CI=1.50-1.83; TT vs. TC+CC: OR=1.74, 95% CI=1.53-1.98). Analysis of the relationship between rs179247 and Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) showed no statistically significant correlation (A vs. G: OR=1.02, 95% CI=0.97-1.07). Publication bias was not significant. In conclusion, GD is associated with polymorphisms of TSHR intron 1 rs179247 and rs12101255. There is no association between rs179247 SNPs and GO.
China ; Female ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Graves Disease ; genetics ; pathology ; Graves Ophthalmopathy ; genetics ; pathology ; Humans ; Introns ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Receptors, Thyrotropin ; genetics ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of Graves' disease and Graves' ophthalmopathy with the C/T transition polymorphism at position -318 of promoter and the A/G transition polymorphism at position 49 of exon 1 within cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) gene.

METHODSThirty-three patients with ophthalmopathy of Graves' disease, fifty-six Graves' patients without ophthalmopathy and sixty normal subjects as control were involved in the present case-control study. The polymorphisms were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Comparisons were made of gene frequencies and allele frequencies between the groups.

RESULTSThe gene frequencies of CT and allele frequencies of T were much higher in Graves' patients with ophthalmopathy than that in the group without ophthalmopathy (P=0.020, P=0.019). The gene frequencies of GG and allele frequencies of G in patients with Graves' disease were significantly increased as compared with control group (P=0.008, P=0.007). The data suggest that smokers with Graves' disease seemed to be more predisposed to ophthalmopathy than non-smokers (P=0.018).

CONCLUSIONOur results suggest that an allele of T at position -318 of promoter is associated with genetic susceptibility to Graves' ophthalmopathy while an allele of G at position 49 of exon 1 is associated with genetic susceptibility to Graves' disease instead. Smoking is believed to be a major risk factor for ophthalmopathy.

Adult ; Antigens, CD ; genetics ; Antigens, Differentiation ; genetics ; CTLA-4 Antigen ; Exons ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Graves Disease ; complications ; genetics ; Graves Ophthalmopathy ; complications ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The aim of the present study was to identify a new candidate anti-inflammatory compound for use in the active stage of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Benzylideneacetophenone compound JC3 [(2E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)phenylpro-2-en-l-one] was synthesized based on a structural modification of yakuchinone B, a constituent of the seeds of Alpinia oxyphylla, which belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), has been widely used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory phytochemical. Orbital fibroblasts were primarily cultured from patients with TAO, and the potential of JC3 to suppress the interferon (IFN)-gamma-induced protein (IP)-10/CXCL10 production in these cells was determined. IFN-gamma strongly increased the level of IP-10/CXCL10 in orbital fibroblasts from patients with TAO. JC3 exerted a significant inhibitory effect on the IFN-gamma-induced increase in IP-10/CXCL10 in a dose-dependent manner; its potency was greater than that of an identical concentration of yakuchinone B with no toxicity to cells at the concentration range used. Moreover, the constructed dimer and trimer polystructures of JC3, showed greater potency than JC3 in suppressing the IFN-gamma-induced production of IP-10/CXCL10. JC3 significantly attenuated the IP-10/CXCL10 mRNA expression induced by IFN-gamma, and a gel-shift assay showed that JC3 suppressed IFN-gamma-induced DNA binding of signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT-1) in TAO orbital fibroblasts. Our results provide initial evidence that the JC3 compound reduces the levels of IP-10/CXCL10 protein and mRNA induced by IFN-gamma in orbital fibroblasts of TAO patients. Therefore, JC3 might be considered as a future candidate for therapeutic application in TAO that exerts its effects by modulating the pathogenic mechanisms in orbital fibroblasts.
Cells, Cultured ; Chalcone/chemical synthesis/*pharmacology ; Chemokine CXCL10/genetics/*metabolism ; Diarylheptanoids/chemistry/pharmacology ; Fibroblasts/*drug effects/metabolism ; Graves Ophthalmopathy/*metabolism ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma/*metabolism ; Orbit/cytology ; RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism ; STAT1 Transcription Factor/genetics/*metabolism

OBJECTIVES: Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) is a multifactorial disease, and the mechanism of non coding RNA interactions and inflammatory cell infiltration patterns are not fully understood. This study aims to construct a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network for this disease and clarify the infiltration patterns of inflammatory cells in orbital tissue to further explore the pathogenesis of GO. METHODS: The differentially expressed genes were identified using the GEO2R analysis tool. The Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology analysis were used to analyze differential genes. RNA interaction relationships were extracted from the RNA interactome database. Protein-protein interactions were identified using the STRING database and were visualized using Cytoscape. StarBase, miRcode, and DIANA-LncBase Experimental v.2 were used to construct ceRNA networks together with their interacted non-coding RNA. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to detect the patterns of infiltrating immune cells in GO using R software. RESULTS: A total of 114 differentially expressed genes for GO and 121 pathways were detected using both the KEGG and gene ontology enrichment analysis. Four hub genes (SRSF6, DDX5, HNRNPC,and HNRNPM) were extracted from protein-protein interaction using cytoHubba in Cytoscape, 104 nodes and 142 edges were extracted, and a ceRNA network was identified (MALAT1-MIR21-DDX5). The results of immune cell analysis showed that in GO, the proportions of CD8⁺ T cells and CD4⁺ memory resting T cells were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. The proportion of CD4 memory resting T cells was positively correlated with the expression of MALAT1, MIR21, and DDX5. CONCLUSIONS This study has constructed a ceRNA regulatory network (MALAT1-MIR21-DDX5) in GO orbital tissue, clarifying the downregulation of the proportion of CD4⁺ stationary memory T cells and their positive regulatory relationship with ceRNA components, further revealing the pathogenesis of GO.
Humans ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics* ; Algorithms ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Down-Regulation ; Graves Ophthalmopathy/genetics* ; Gene Regulatory Networks ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Serine-Arginine Splicing Factors ; Phosphoproteins

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of mevastatin (Mev) on the expression of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) mRNA and differentiation of Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) derived orbital preadipocytes in vitro. METHODS: Orbital adipose tissues were obtained from TAO patients undergoing orbital decompression surgery. The orbital preadipocytes cultured from the orbital adipose tissues were divided into Group A (a control group) and Group B (an intervention group). Group B was subdivided into Group B1-B5, all groups were stimulated to differentiate into mature adipocytes with cocktail differentiation medium.The entire course of differentiation was 10 d. The differentiation of orbital preadipocytes in Group A was induced with routine inducer,while at in Group B1,B2, and B3 was interfered with 5 micromol/L (B1), 10 micromol/L(B2),20 micromol/L (B3) mevastatin respectively during the whole process of differentiation. The differentiation of orbital preadipocytes in Group B4 and B5 was interfered with 10 micromol/L mevastatin day 4 (B4) or day 8 (B5) of the differentiation process until the entire course was over. Intracellular fat accumulation in differentiated adipocytes was determined by oil red O staining. The value of optical absorption was measured at 492 nm with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of PPAR-gamma mRNA was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The light absorption value (A) and PPAR-gamma mRNA expression of differentiated cells in Group A,B1,B2,and B3 decreased successively,and there was significant difference in any of the 2 groups among Group A, B1 and B2, and B3 (P<0.05). The value A and PPAR-gamma mRNA expression of differentiated cells in Group A, B4, and B2 decreased successively, and the difference in any of the 2 groups among these 3 groups was significant. However, there were no significant difference between Group A and B5. CONCLUSION Mevastatin inhibits the differentiation of TAO derived orbital preadipocytes by blocking PPAR-gamma mRNA expression. The degree of inhibition is not only concentration-dependent but also associated with the stage of differentiation. The earlier the differentiation, the stronger the inhibition.
Adipocytes ; pathology ; Adipose Tissue ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Depression, Chemical ; Graves Ophthalmopathy ; pathology ; Humans ; Lovastatin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Orbit ; PPAR gamma ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism