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Updated: May 18, 2026
04:39
Generation of a Mouse Spontaneous Autoimmune Thyroiditis Model
Published on: March 17, 2023
Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITD)
Nicté Figueroa-Vega1, Pedro Majano, Eduardo Larrañaga
1Servicio de Endocrinología. Hospital Universitario de La Princesa. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Madrid. España; Departamento de Inmunología. Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí. San Luis Potosí. México.
Summary
Increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was found in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, suggesting a role for nitric oxide in thyroid inflammation and damage.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Nitric oxide (NO) is produced by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzymes.
- Four NOS isoforms exist: neuronal, endothelial, mitochondrial, and inducible (iNOS).
- The role of NO in autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the protein and mRNA expression of iNOS in human autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITD).
Main Methods:
- Thyroid tissue from 10 Graves' disease (GD) patients, 5 Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) patients, and 10 controls were analyzed.
- Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to assess iNOS expression.
Main Results:
- Upregulated iNOS expression was detected in both GD and HT thyroid glands, with higher levels in GD.
- No iNOS expression was observed in normal thyroid tissue.
- iNOS was found in thyrocytes, endothelial cells, and infiltrating mononuclear cells, particularly near inflammatory infiltrates.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced iNOS expression in AIT suggests NO plays a significant role in the inflammatory processes and tissue damage characteristic of these conditions.
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