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Updated: Jul 17, 2025

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
A role of NR4A2 in Graves' disease: regulation of Th17/Treg
Shuiying Zhao1, Xinyu Wang2, Fengjiao Huang1
1Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
Purpose:
This study aimed to explore the molecular pathogenesis of Graves' disease (GD).
Methods:
The gene expression profile in CD4+ T cells from GD patients and healthy controls were analyzed through mRNA-sequencing. The expression of NR4A2 was determined by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. The levels of Th17 and Treg were determined by flow cytometry. ELISA was employed to detect the levels of IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-22.
Results:
In the CD4+ T cells from GD patients, there were 128 up-regulated and 510 down-regulated genes. Subsequently, we focused on the role of nuclear receptor 4 group A member 2 (NR4A2) in GD. NR4A2 was lowly expressed in the CD4+ T cells from GD patients. Its expression was negatively correlated with free triiodothyronine and tetraiodothyronine, but positively correlated with thyroid stimulating hormone. NR4A2 knockdown decreased the percentage of Treg cells, with a decreased IL-10 level. While its over-expression augmented the Treg differentiation, with an elevated IL-10 level. In addition, knockdown or over-expression of NR4A2 showed no significant influence on Th17 differentiation.
Conclusion:
These results indicate that the low level of NR4A2 in GD patients may suppress Treg differentiation, but have no influence on Th17 differentiation, leading to the imbalance of Th17/Treg and contributing to the development of GD. Revealing the role of NR4A2 in GD provides a novel insight for the treatment of GD.
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