Molnár Ildikó
3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Kenézy County and Teaching Hospital, Bartók Bu2-26, Debrecen, Hungary.
Autoimmunity. 2007 Feb;40(1):31-7. doi: 10.1080/08916930601165388.
Th1 and Th2-like cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of Graves' disease. The shift in balance in IL-12/IL-5 cytokines was applied in judging the immunological events in 74 patients with Graves' disease (50 had ophthalmopathy) during methimazole therapy and in 15 controls. The serum levels of IL-12 and IL-5 were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in all Graves' patients. Twelve cases for IL-5 and 20 cases for IL-12 were positive. In Graves' patients only those without ophthalmopathy had higher levels of IL-12 when compared to controls (192.66 +/- 29.19 vs. 85.09 +/- 8.95 pg/ml, P < 0.04). After 2 months of methimazole therapy in Graves' patients without ophthalmopathy an increase in the ratio of IL-12 to IL-5 was also observed as compared to those with eye symptoms (91.78 +/- 34.14 vs. 20.72 +/- 6.36, P < 0.015). Age-related difference in the serum level of IL-5 could be demonstrated between Graves' patients without and those with ophthalmopathy aged < or = 35 years (4.89 +/- 0.57 vs. 50.14 +/- 20.2 pg/ml, P < 0.002). No association was found among the serum levels of IL-5 or IL-12, thyroid hormones and TSH receptor antibodies. The results demonstrated a difference in the balance shift of IL-12/IL-5 between Graves' patients with and without ophthalmopathy. The increased ratio of IL-12 to IL-5 after methimazole therapy could be explained by the elevation of serum IL-12 due to methimazole therapy and the age-related decrease of serum IL-5.
Th1和Th2样细胞因子参与Graves病的发病机制。应用IL-12/IL-5细胞因子平衡的变化来判断74例Graves病患者（其中50例有眼病）在甲巯咪唑治疗期间及15例对照者的免疫事件。采用酶联免疫吸附测定法检测所有Graves病患者血清IL-12和IL-5水平。IL-5阳性12例，IL-12阳性20例。与对照者相比，仅无眼病的Graves病患者IL-12水平较高（192.66±29.19对85.09±8.95 pg/ml，P<0.04）。无眼病的Graves病患者在甲巯咪唑治疗2个月后，与有眼部症状者相比，IL-12与IL-5的比值也升高（91.78±34.14对20.72±6.36，P<0.015）。年龄≤35岁的无眼病和有眼病的Graves病患者血清IL-5水平存在年龄相关差异（4.89±0.57对50.14±20.2 pg/ml，P<0.002）。未发现IL-5或IL-12血清水平、甲状腺激素和促甲状腺素受体抗体之间存在关联。结果表明，有眼病和无眼病的Graves病患者IL-12/IL-5平衡变化存在差异。甲巯咪唑治疗后IL-12与IL-5比值升高可能是由于甲巯咪唑治疗使血清IL-12升高以及血清IL-5随年龄降低所致。
