Background
Follicular helper T (Tfh) cells are critical for high-affinity antibody generation and B cell maturation and differentiation, which play important roles in autoimmune diseases. Graves' disease (GD) is one prototype of common organ-specific autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) characterized by autoreactive antibodies, suggesting a possible role for Tfh cells in the pathogenesis of GD. Our
Conclusion
Circulating Tfh cell subsets and PCs might play an important role in the pathogenesis of GD, which are potential clues for GD patients' interventions.
Methods
Thirty-six patients with GD and 20 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this study. The frequencies of circulating Tfh cell subsets and PCs were determined by flow cytometry, and plasma cytokines, including interleukin- (IL-) 21, IL-4, IL-17A, and interferon- (IFN-) γ, were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expression of transcription factors (Bcl-6, T-bet, GATA-3, and RORγt) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR.