Serum CD40/CD40L system in Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis related to soluble Fas, FasL and humoral markers of autoimmune response.

Activated CD4 T cells' express CD40 ligand (CD154) interacting with CD40 on the B cells surface, protecting them from Fas-mediated apoptosis and in this study, influence humoral response. The aim of the study was to assess soluble CD40 and CD154 in Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) in relation to Fas and FasL and to the markers of humoral response: aTPO, aTG and aTSHR. The study was carried out in 5 groups of subjects: 1/14 patients with GD in euthyreosis on methimazol (euGD), 2/20 patients with hyperthyroid GD (hrGD), 3/15 patients with HT in euthyreosis on levothyroxine (euHT), 4/16 patients with hypothyroid Ht (hoHT), 5/12 healthy volunteers, age and sex-matched to groups 1–4. The serum levels of CD40, CD154, Fas and FasL, aTPO and aTG were determined by ELISA and aTSHR was determined by the RIA method. CD40 serum concentration was significantly higher in hoHT individuals: 55.8 (24.0–83.2) pg/ml (p<0.01) and euHT patients: 51.2 (20.0–80.1) (p<0.05) as compared to the controls. Also ...