Levels of Soluble Human Leukocyte Antigen Class 1 are Increased in Graves' Disease and Toxic Multinodular Goiter and Correlate with the Levels of Triiodothyronine.

摘要

Soluble human leukocyte antigens class 1 (sHLA-1) are postulated to play a role in immunomodulation. Thyroid hormones and thyroid stimulating hormone influence expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class 1 genes. We hypothesized similar changes in sHLA-1 with changes in the thyroid hormone. We measured serum levels of sHLA-1 in 140 normal controls, 11 patients with toxic multinodular goiter and 26 patients with active Graves' disease. On follow-up 1 year after treatment for Graves' disease, we repeated the measurement of the levels of sHLA-1 in 21 patients. Levels of sHLA-1 were markedly elevated in the group of patients with active Graves' disease compared to the normal controls (p = 0.00016). The levels of sHLA-1 were also elevated significantly in patients with toxic multinodular goiter compared to normal controls (p = 0.034). There is no significant difference between genders and the two races tested among patients with Graves' disease in contrast to controls. Free triiodothyronine (T(3)) levels positively correlated with the levels of sHLA-1 (r = 0.61). On follow-up after treatment for Graves' disease, levels of sHLA-1 decreased by 62% with p = 0.0006 (active Graves vs. follow-up). We conclude that there is a definite association between thyroid hormones and sHLA-1 levels.