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Interleukins as markers of inflammation in malignant and benign thyroid disease

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  • Published:
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Abstract

Background

Thyroid disorders, including thyroid cancer and autoimmune thyroid diseases, have been closely associated with inflammation.

Objective

This study aims to investigate the role of inflammation in thyroid disease by assessing serum cytokine levels in patients with malignant and benign thyroid conditions.

Methods

Serum levels of ten interleukins (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 and IL-13) were quantitatively determined in 20 patients with thyroid cancer, 38 patients with benign thyroid disease and 50 healthy controls by multiplex technology.

Results

Serum IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-6 levels were strongly associated with each other. IL-10 and IL-12 correlated with IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, and with each other. Age was inversely correlated with serum levels of IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13. A positive correlation between T3 and IL-13 levels was also observed. Significantly higher levels of IL-6, IL-7, IL-10 and IL-13, as well as significantly lower levels of IL-8 were observed in patients with benign and malignant thyroid disease compared to controls. The combination of IL-13 and IL-8 in a two-marker panel was highly efficient in discriminating thyroid disorders (AUC 0.90).

Conclusions

Malignant and benign thyroid conditions are associated with altered expression levels of interleukins, supporting the association between thyroid disease and underlying inflammatory processes.

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Abbreviations

AITDs:

Αutoimmune thyroid diseases

AUC:

Area under the curve

β:

Beta

BMI:

Body mass index

CI:

Confidence interval

EGF:

Epidermal growth factor

GD:

Graves’ disease

HGF:

Hepatocyte growth factor

HT:

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

IL:

Interleukin

MAPK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

MIG:

Monokine induced by gamma interferon

MWW:

Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon

OOR:

Out-of-range

RANTES:

Regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted

ROC:

Receiver operating characteristic

Tregs:

Regulatory T cells

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Acknowledgments

The study was financially supported by the Hellenic Anticancer Institute. We would like to thank Mr. E. Fragkoulis and Ms. V. Stasinopoulou for their support and contribution. All authors declare no conflict of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center, Hellenic Anticancer Institute, 11 Valtetsiou st., 10680, Athens, Greece

    Xeni Provatopoulou, Theodoros N. Sergentanis, Eleni Kalogera & Antonia Gounaris

  2. 3rd Department of Surgery, “George Gennimatas” General Hospital, 154 Mesogeion Av., 11527, Athens, Greece

    Despoina Georgiadou, John Spyridakis & George N. Zografos

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  1. Xeni Provatopoulou
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  2. Despoina Georgiadou
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  3. Theodoros N. Sergentanis
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Correspondence to Antonia Gounaris.

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Responsible Editor: Bernhard Gibbs.

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Provatopoulou, X., Georgiadou, D., Sergentanis, T.N. et al. Interleukins as markers of inflammation in malignant and benign thyroid disease. Inflamm. Res. 63, 667–674 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-014-0739-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-014-0739-z

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