ABSTRACT
Background:
4-1BB mediated costimulatory signal is a recently identified immunotherapeutic strategy for treating autoimmune diseases without depressing the immune response. In this study, we investigated the expression of 4-1BB and 4-1BBL on the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and we assessed whether the serum levels of soluble (s) 4-1BB and s4-1BBL in the patients with Graves’ disease (GD) and compared them with normal subjects.
Methods:
Expression of 4-1BB and 4-1BBL on PBMC of GD patients was determined by flow cytometry. The concentrations of s4-1BB and s4-1BBL were assessed in the sera of GD patients by performing ELISA.
Results:
4-1BB was constitutively expressed on naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells of the GD patients and this was increased by stimulation. 4-1BBL was also expressed on the antigen-presenting cells such as CD19+ B cells, monocytes and dendritic cells in GD patients. The serum levels of s4-1BB and s4-1BBL were significantly higher in GD patients than those in controls, and these levels were significantly correlated with the serum levels of thyroid-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin and free T4.
Conclusion:
These results indicate that effector T cells of GD patients can be activated through the 4-1BB-mediated costimulatory signal. Elevated s4-1BB and s4-1BBL levels in the sera of GD patients may affect modulation of the clinical course in GD patients. (J Kor Soc Endocrinol 21:116~124, 2006)
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Table 1.
Age (years) |
Gender |
TBII (%) |
free T4 (ng/dL) |
TSH (μU/mL) |
TPOAb (IU/mL) |
TgAb (IU/mL) |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reference | Value | N | F | M | 0-15.0 | 0.89-1.81 | 0.35-5.50 | 0-25 | 0-40 | |
Graves’ | Disease | 20 | 36 ± 11 | 16 | 4 | 40.9 ± 17.3* | 6.43 ±2.39* | 0.01 ± 0.00* | 466 ±358* | 304 ±683 |
Control | 20 | 42 ± 8 | 20 | 0 | 3.8 ± 2.1 | 1.4 ±1.06 | 0.58 ± 0.68 | 12 ±11.3 | 2.6 ±3.4 |