CD30 expression and interleukin-4 and interferon-gamma production of intrathyroidal lymphocytes in Graves' disease

We reported that serum levels of interleukin-5 (IL-5) and soluble CD30, mainly secreted from T helper 2 (Th2) cells, were increased in Graves' disease. To clarify the immune balance of Th1/Th2 within the Graves' thyroid gland, we have compared the expression of CD30, a preferential marker for T cells producing type 2 cytokines, and the production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-4 between intrathyroidal lymphocytes (ITL) and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). In PBL, none of these parameters were different between patients and normal subjects. The proportion of CD30+ cells in ITL was markedly higher (5.1%+/-2.8%, p < 0.0001) than that in patients' PBL (0.4%+/-0.3%). Likewise, both the proportions of IFN-gamma+ (14.8%+/-5.5%) and IL-4+ cells (2.4%+/-0.5%) in ITL were higher than those in PBL (9.6%+/-2.5%; p < 0.01, 1.5%+/-0.4%; p < 0.0001, respectively). The proportion of type 0 (both IFN-gamma and IL-4 positive, 1.0%+/-0.4% p < 0.001), type 1 (IFN-gamma positive, 14.0%+/-5.6%, p < 0.01) or type 2 cells (IL-4 positive, 1.4%+/-0.5%, p < 0.05) in ITL was significantly higher as compared with those in PBL (0.4%+/-0.1%, 9.0%+/-2.4%, 1.1%+/-0.3%, respectively). The ratios of ITL/PBL in CD30+ (23.3+/-30.6) and type 0 cells (2.5+/-1.2) were higher than the ratios in other subsets. The proportion of CD30+ cells correlated with the proportion of type 0 cells (r = 0.686, p < 0.01), but not with type 1 or type 2 cells. These findings suggest that there is no obvious deviation of Th2/Th1 profile in the Graves' thyroid gland, although intrathyroidal CD30+ T cells and Th0 cells may play some role in the development of autoimmune abnormalities in Graves' disease.