Role of bioactive peptides in autoimmune thyroid disease

Kashanian, Gholam Reza Moshtaghi (1996) Role of bioactive peptides in autoimmune thyroid disease. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The thyroid gland is the target of the commonest forms of autoimmune disease. Development of goitre, with an increase in the number of thyrocytes and other cells in the thyroid, is one of manifestation of thyroid autoimmunity in some cases. The enlargement of the gland is not simply the effect of stimulation of the thyrocytes with TSH (Hashimoto's disease), or with thyroid stimulating antibodies (Graves' disease), but involves many other factors, including cell to cell signalling among the various populations of cells in the gland by cytokines or other mediators. Another consequence of disease is the generation of new blood vessels and infiltration of a variety of mononuclear cells which form aggregates or are diffusely distributed between and within the thyroid follicles. It seems likely that the mononuclear cells migrate from peripheral blood into thyroid tissue where they are retained by interaction with other cells including thyroid epithelial cells by means of cytokines released locally. The interaction of cytokines and growth factors with thyrocytes could also influence their functional pattern. Finally, the thyroid gland is richly innervated by nerves of different types (adrenergic, cholinergic, and peptidergic) which terminate close to blood vessels and follicular cells. It is likely, therefore, that neurotransmitters released locally may directly influence the activity of the follicular cells. Previous studies showed that a soluble form of the interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) is present in increased quantities in serum of patients with Graves' disease. Less information is available for the cytokines production among these patients, and the role of neuropeptides in the gland is not clear. The aim of this study was to determine the role of some of these bioactive peptides in Graves' disease.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Immunology, Medicine
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences
• Supervisor's Name: Shapiro, Dr. David
• Date of Award: 1996
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1996-71828
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 17 May 2019 09:31
• Last Modified: 29 Jun 2022 13:59
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.71828
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/71828