Infiltrating T-lymphocyte receptor Vβ gene family utilization in autoimmune thyroid disease

The expression of T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) V beta genes in autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) was investigated. RNA was extracted from the thyroid tissue of 23 patients with early-stage Graves' disease, 19 patients with late-stage Graves' disease and 20 patients with Hashimoto's disease. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients and 20 normal subjects (controls) were analysed in parallel. AITD was found to be associated with diminished TCR V beta gene family utilization. In addition, AITDs appeared to select for specific TCR V beta families. The V beta 3, V beta 5 and V beta 8 families were expressed more frequently in thyroid-infiltrating T-lymphocytes of early-stage Graves' disease than other V beta gene families. Selective expression was not observed in infiltrating T-lymphocytes obtained from thyroid tissue of patients with late-stage Graves' disease or Hashimoto's disease. Preferentially expressed TCR V beta gene families may be useful as molecular targets for targeted immunotherapy of AITDs.