Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Autoimmune thyroid diseases result from a dysregulation of the immune system leading to an immune attack on the thyroid. Autoimmune thyroid diseases, which include Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), are characterised by lymphocytic infiltration of the thyroid parenchyma. The mechanisms that trigger the autoimmune attack to the thyroid are not entirely known. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible contribution of Rho/Rho-kinase gene expressions in GD and HT.

Methods: A total of 47 patients with GD, 41 patients with HT, and 42 healthy control subjects with similar age and sex were included to this study. mRNA from blood samples was extracted, and real time polymerase chain reaction on the BioMark HD dynamic array system (Fluidigm, South San Francisco, CA) was performed for the Rho/Rho-kinase gene expressions. For calculation of the significance of differences in gene expressions, the Mann–Whitney U-test was used.

Results: Gene expression analysis showed that RHOC, RHOF, RAC1, and ROCK1 mRNA contents in leukocytes were markedly depressed, and RHOH gene was up-regulated in both GD and HT patients when compared to the control groups (P<0.05). Although CDC42 gene expression was decreased in GD, it was augmented in HT. Additionally, RHOQ, RHOU, RHOV, RHOBTB1, RHOBTB3, and RAC3 expressions were significantly suppressed in HT (P<0.05). There was also decrease in ROCK2 gene expression in HT (P<0.05). No marked changes were noted in RHOA, RHOB, RHOD, and RND3 (RHOE) genes in GD and HT groups.

Conclusion: In conclusion, to the best of our knowledge, these results are the first to demonstrate the contribution Rho/ROCK gene expressions in GD and HT. Our data showed that these gene expressions may contribute to the pathology of GD and HT.

Disclosure: This study was supported by a project (SBAG 213S021) from the TUBITAK, Ankara, Turkey.