Objective To explore the correlation and dose-response relationship between blood lipid parameters and the risk of thyroid nodules (TNs) in euthyroid women, providing references for disease prevention. Methods A case-control study was conducted, including 1 412 euthyroid women (701 in the case group and 711 in the control group). Crude and multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the association between blood lipid parameters and the risk of TNs, and restricted cubic spline regression was applied to explore the dose-response relationship. Results Compared with women in the lowest quartile of serum triglyceride (TG; Q1, TG≤0.92 mmol/L), the risk of TNs was 45% (OR＝1.45, 95%CI 1.06-1.98) higher for those in Q2 (TG 0.93-1.24 mmol/L), 101% (OR＝2.01, 95%CI 1.47-2.77) higher for those in Q3 (TG 1.25-1.81 mmol/L), and 67% (OR＝1.67, 95%CI 1.19-2.33) higher for those in Q4 (TG>1.81 mmol/L) after adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI) and education. For each unit increase in log₁₀TG, the risk increased by 98% (OR＝1.98, 95%CI 1.14-3.45). Moreover, the correlation remained statistically significant even after further adjustment for thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and urinary iodine (OR＝1.75, 95%CI 1.00-3.06, P＜0.05). However, correlations of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with the risk of TNs were not statistically significant. Restricted cubic spline regression analysis further demonstrated the non-linear dose-response relationship of TG levels with the risk of TNs. Specifically, the risk of TNs increased in a monotonic manner at lower TG concentrations (＜1.23 mmol/L), but appeared to plateau or even slightly decrease at higher levels of TG (≥1.23 mmol/L). Conclusions Among euthyroid women, higher serum TG level is associated with risk of TNs, and this correlation is non-linear.

Objective:To detect the prevalence of mosaic loss of chromosome Y in adult men in ten study areas in China, describe the epidemiological distribution of mosaic loss of chromosome Y (mLOY) carriers and assess its prospective association with lung cancer.Methods:Based on the data from baseline survey, genetic analysis and follow-up (as of December 31, 2018) from China Kadoorie Biobank, we used Mosaic Chromosomal Alterations pipeline to detect mLOY carriers in 10 areas in China and described the epidemiological characteristics of mLOY carriers in adult men, including age, area distribution, lifestyle and disease history. We used multivariate logistic regression model to identify the potential relevant factor of mLOY. Cox proportional hazard regression model was fitted to assess the prospective association of mLOY with lung cancer. Stratification analysis were conducted to evaluate the potential modification effects of smoking and age. We also conducted mediation analysis to assess the mediating effect of mLOY in the association between smoking and lung cancer.Results:A total of 42 859 adult men were included in our analysis, in whom 2 458 mLOY carriers were detected (5.7%). The detection rate increased with age ( P<0.05). The detection rate was higher in urban area (7.3%±0.2%) than that in rural area (4.7%±0.1%). The results of logistic regression analysis indicated that smoking might be a risk factor for the detection of mLOY ( OR=1.49, 95% CI:1.36-1.64). After follow-up for average 11.1 years, 1 041 lung cancer cases were observed. The prospective analysis showed that mLOY carriers had an increased risk for lung cancer by 24% compared with non-mLOY carriers ( HR=1.24, 95% CI:1.01-1.52) and expanded mLOY carriers (mLOY cell proportion ≥10%) had an increased risk for lung cancer by 50% ( HR=1.50, 95% CI:1.13-2.00). Stratification analysis showed no modification effects of smoking and age in the association between mLOY and lung cancer (interaction P>0.05). Mediation analysis showed that mLOY could be a mediating factor in the association between smoking and lung cancer, the estimated effect was 0.09 (0.01-0.17). Conclusions:There were significant differences in the detection rate of mLOY in adult men with different social-economic characteristics and lifestyles in ten areas in China. Besides, mLOY carriers, especially expanded mLOY carriers, had increased risk for lung cancer and mLOY might be a mediating factor in the association between smoking and lung cancer.

Objective:The degree of involvement of extraocular muscles varies across different regions of retrobulbar tissue in patients with thyroid eye disease, but the mechanism is unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between differential expression of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor(TSHR) in different parts of the extraocular muscles and the varying degrees of muscle involvement.Methods:The medial, lateral, superior, and inferior rectus muscle were separated from the retrobulbar tissue of rats, and the expression level of TSHR in four extraocular muscles was detected by immunofluorescence and qPCR. Extraocular muscle tissue of patients with strabismus was collected to detect the expression of TSHR and the cell types expressed by fluorescence.Results:The results of qPCR showed that the expression of TSHR in the medial rectus muscle was significantly higher than that in the lateral, superior, and inferior rectus muscle(medial rectus vs lateral rectus, P=0.012; medial rectus vs superior rectus, P=0.015; medial rectus vs inferior rectus, P=0.013), but there was no difference in insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1R) expression. Immunofluorescence showed that TSHR was co-expressed with PAX7, a molecular marker of muscle satellite cells, and the expression level in the medial rectus muscle of rats and humans was significantly higher than those in the other three extraocular muscles. Conclusion:The high specific expression of TSHR in the satellite cells of the medial rectus muscle may be the reason why the medial rectus muscle is most susceptible to involvement in thyroid eye disease.

Objective:This study aimed to identify mutations of the thyroglobulin(TG) gene and inheritance patterns in Chinese patients with congenital hypothyroidism.Methods:Clinical data of 235 children with congenital hypothyroidism and some of their families were collected from 2014 to 2018, and peripheral blood samples were collected for DNA extraction. Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood and TG gene was amplified with primers designed for each exon region and exon-intron junction region. Next generation sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis were used to obtain TG gene mutations, followed by validation through Sanger sequencing. In addition, two compound heterozygotes with TG mutations and their parents were tested by Sanger sequencing.Results:Among 235 patients with congenital hypothyroidism, thirty-four cases(14.47%) carried TG gene variants, of which 6 cases(2.55%) carried compound heterozygous mutations. In addition, one of these TG gene variants was a hotspot mutation(T1620M was carried by four patients), nine were novel mutations(T601M, V2423I, R2308S, C2005R, C2264F, L987R, K1645Efs*49, F311Lfs*91, and T1416M).Conclusion:The mutation rate of the TG gene is higher in Chinese patients with congenital hypothyroidism, and two pedigrees indicated an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern.

Objective:To assess clinical and genetic features in a patient with thyroid hormone resistance syndrome(RTH) and explore the pathogenic mechanism.Methods:The clinical data of the proband was collected. The genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the patients. The pathogenic variant was identified using whole-exome sequencing and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Then the function of the mutation sites was detected by bioinformatics.Results:The patient presented with chest distress, palpitation, and persistent atrial fibrillation, along with elevated levels of serum free triiodothyronine(FT 3), free thyroxine(FT 4), and thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH), which suggested RTH clinically. The genetic analysis identified a heterozygous mutant of THRβ(c.1313G>A) gene at exon 8, which was a missense mutation causing the substitution of arginine to histidine at 438 position of the protein(p.R438H). Its inheritance pattern was unknown. This mutation was considered as a new one that had not been reported. Conclusion:A novel pathogenic THRβ gene mutation was found in the patient with RTH, which might be the cause of this disease. This variant c. 1313G>A is located in the ligand binding domain of THRβ, which might result in low protein activity.

Objective:To construct single-cell transcription landscape of T cell in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) and thyroid tissue of patients with Hashimoto ′s thyroiditis(HT), and to analyze the changes in the proportion and functionality of T cell clusters in HT disease state.Methods:Single cell RNA sequencing was performed on PBMCs and thyroid tissue from 5 HT patients. Single cell RNA sequencing data of PBMCs from 5 healthy individuals were retrieved from public databases. After preliminary clustering, the clusters expressing CD3E were extracted and clustering again, and the names of each cluster were determined according to the known cell markers. The proportion of each cell subtype was compared, and the differentially expressed genes in different samples were analyzed.Results:After quality control, the 71 533 T cells were classified into 19 cell clusters. Among them, the proportion and function of C1_CD4 + Naive T cell clusters, C3_CD4 + Treg cell clusters, C7_CD8 + Naive T cell clusters, C8_GNLY -CD8 + T cell clusters, C10_RORC + CD8 + T cell clusters, C11_ GZMK + CD8 + T cell clusters, C12_CCL4 + CD8 + T cell clusters, and C18_PTGDS + NK cell clusters in thyroid tissue of HT patients were significantly different from those in PBMCs of healthy controls and HT patients. Conclusion:The proportion of multiple T cells in thyroid tissue of HT patients were significantly different from those in PBMCs. Among them, the proportion of three of CD8 + T cell subsets with high expression of cell killing-related genes in thyroid tissue T cells of HT patients is higher than that in PBMCs T cells, and it is statistically significant. In addition, the functionality of various T cells in the thyroid tissue of HT patients are also significantly different from those in PBMCs. A cluster of GZMK + CD8 + T cells showes significantly lower expression of genes related to PD1 pathway in thyroid tissues of HT patients compared with cells in PBMCs of HT patients, also a cluster of CCL4 + CD8 + T cells showes significantly lower expression of genes related to IL-12 pathway.

Objective:To investigate methods of molecular diagnosis and clinical features of 46, XY disorders of sexual development(DSD).Methods:A total of 206 cases of 46, XY DSD patients, who visited the Shanghai Ninth People′s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, from July 2009 to June 2021, underwent AA chip based on multiplex PCR and probe-capture-targeted next-generation sequencing. Clinical features of patients with genetic diagnosis were analyzed.Results:Among 206 patients, the diagnostic rate of patients with micropenis, hypospadias and cryptorchidism was the highest, up to 75.28%. Almost all patients had different degrees of undermasculinized external genitalia. The most frequent phenotype was micropenis with hypospadias(87.25%). Only one gene variant was detected in 81 patients(39.32%), multiple genetic variants were detected in 104 patients(50.49%), and no gene variant was identified in 21 patients(10.19%). 107 patients had definite genetic diagnosis, with a diagnostic rate of 51.94% by adding the pathogenic and likely pathogenic ratios following the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics(ACMG) guidelines, including 40 patients of steroid 5α-reductase type 2(SRD5A2) variants(37.38%), 36 patients of androgen receptor(AR) variants(33.64%), 13 patients of steroidogenic factor 1(NR5A1) variants(16.82%), 6 patients of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases 3(HSD17B3) variants(5.61%), 2 patients of 17α-hydroxylase/17, 20-lyase enzyme(CYP17A1), Wilms′ tumor 1(WT1) and GATA binding protein 4(GATA4) variants(1.87%), and one patient of luteinizing hormone receptor(LHCGR) variant(0.93%). Gynecomastia was found in 29 of 81 postpubertal patients, of which 25(86.21%) had AR variants.Conclusions:46, XY DSD presents complex clinical manifestations and molecular etiologies. Targeted nextgeneration sequencing has the advantages of high throughput, high efficiency and low cost, which has a high value especially in etiological diagnosis of 46, XY DSD with large genetic heterogeneity.

Objective:Clinical and genetic analysis were conducted in 2 patients with hypophosphatasia(HPP) and their families to explore the pathogenic mechanism of HPP.Methods:The genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of two patients with HPP and their family members. Sanger sequencing and pedigree verification were performed on the pathogenic variants identified using whole-exome sequencing. Then the function of the mutation sites was analyzed with bioinformatics software.Results:Proband 1 presented with developmental retardation, pectus funnel and premature loss of deciduous tooth, of which the serum alkaline phosphatase level was slightly lower than the bound of the normal range. Two complex heterozygous missense variants c. 1120G>A and c. 1334C>G of ALPL gene were detected in the proband 1 which were inherited from his parents respectively, showing an autosomal recessive inheritance. Both the variants were predicted to inflict deleterious effects on ALPL gene function by multiple bioinformatics program, and were classified as likely pathogenetic variants according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics(ACMG) guidelines. Proband 2 showed three missing permanent teeth and the significantly lower level of serum alkaline phosphatase than normal range. A heterozygous variant c. 1190-3C>G of ALPL gene was detected in proband 2 whose pattern of inheritance was unknown. The clinical significance of this variant was unknown according to ACMG standards and guidelines. All of these variants were considered as novel since none of them has been reported. Along with the above combined results, proband 1 and 2 were diagnosed as childhood HPP and Odontohypophosphatasia, respectively.Conclusion:This study reinforced the relationship between HPP and variants in ALPL gene. Two variants, c. 1120G>A and c. 1334C>G, were located in the homodimer interface and crown domain of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase(TNSALP), respectively, while c. 1190-3C>G were located in the splice sites, which might result in low TNSALP activity.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features and treatment outcome of Kallmann syndrome(KS) caused by fibroblast growth factor receptor-1(FGFR1) gene mutation in 4 patients.Methods:Targeted next-generation sequencing(NGS) was performed on thirty KS and normosmic idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism(nIHH) patients. FGFR1 mutation was identified in four KS patients. The clinical data, laboratory and imaging examinations, and treatment outcome were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Four male patients, aging from 11 to 22 years old, presented as micropenis, and with olfactory dysfunction. Among them, two had history of cryptorchidism, three had history of cleft lip and palate repair surgery. The most severe patient presented with short stature, left microtia and dental agenesis. FGFR1 heterozygous mutation was identified in all four patients, two were point mutation(p.Y374X; p. E670K), and the other was frameshift mutation(p.S346Yfs*61; p.S723*fs*1). One patient, who started treatment of the pulsatile GnRH pump during his youth, succeeded in having two babies.Conclusion:Patients with Kallmann syndrome caused by FGFR1 mutation presents complex clinical manifestations. Besides dysosmia, micropenis, microrchidia, and delayed pubertal development are the main clinical manifestations in male patients. Symptoms such as cleft lip and palate are helpful for early recognition. Genotyping analysis is crucial to confirm the diagnosis. The pulsatile GnRH pump can produce satisfactory therapeutic effect, but the age of initiating therapy should be carefully considered.

Objective To set up the model of deiodinase ( Dio) 3b-/- zebrafish and to observe the effect of which on embryo development. Methods The zebrafish model of Dio3b-/- was set up by CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology, PCR and sequencing was used to confirm the efficiency of deletion. The heart rate of embryos at 48 hours post fertilization was counted. The locomotor activity of 5-7 days post fertilization larve was detected using behavior tracking system. Results The model of Dio3b knockout zebrafish was set up successfully. The heart rate of embryos Dio3b-/- increased ( P＜0. 001) and the locomotor activity of 5-7 days post fertilization larves lacking Dio3b gene increased (P＜0.05) significantly compared with that of wild type control respectively. Conclusion The deletion of zebrafish Dio3b gene results in the phenotype of hyperthyroidism and the model of Dio3b-/- is proper for studying the effect of partial excess thyroid hormone on embryo development.