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Updated: Dec 12, 2025

Generation of a Mouse Spontaneous Autoimmune Thyroiditis Model
Published on: March 17, 2023
Immunological Drivers in Graves' Disease: NK Cells as a Master Switcher
Daniela Gallo1, Eliana Piantanida1, Matteo Gallazzi2
1Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria, ASST dei Sette Laghi, Varese, Italy.
Abstract:
Graves' disease (GD) is a common autoimmune cause of hyperthyroidism, which is eventually related to the generation of IgG antibodies stimulating the thyrotropin receptor. Clinical manifestations of the disease reflect hyperstimulation of the gland, causing thyrocyte hyperplasia (goiter) and excessive thyroid hormone synthesis (hyperthyroidism). The above clinical manifestations are preceded by still partially unraveled pathogenic actions governed by the induction of aberrant phenotype/functions of immune cells. In this review article we investigated the potential contribution of natural killer (NK) cells, based on literature analysis, to discuss the bidirectional interplay with thyroid hormones (TH) in GD progression. We analyzed cellular and molecular NK-cell associated mechanisms potentially impacting on GD, in a view of identification of the main NK-cell subset with highest immunoregulatory role.
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