APOPTOSIS OF BLOOD LYMPHOCYTES IN THE PATIENTS WITH AUTOIMMUNE THYROID DISORDERS

This article presents results of apoptosis detection among blood lymphocytes from the patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders, i.e., autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) at euthyroid and hypothyroid stages, and in diffuse toxic goiter (DTG). Contents of CD95+, annexin V­ presenting (apoptotic) cells and TNFα in blood were analyzed. It was shown, that altered regulation of programmed lymphocyte death in autoimmune thyroid disorders is demonstrated by increased content of TNFα and CD95+ lymphocytes, being accompanied by decreased numbers of apoptotic cells in blood. Meanwhile, this pathology is expressed mostly in DTG, while being less significant in AIT at euthyroid stage, than in thyroid hypofunction. Possible mechanisms of the revealed disturbances are discussed. (Med. Immunol., 2008, vol. 10, N 2-3, pp 187-192).