Proteomics and transcriptomics combined reveal specific immunological markers in autoimmune thyroid disease

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Genomics
• Proteomics

Background:

• Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) pathogenesis remains unclear.
• Accurate diagnosis and treatment require identification of specific immune markers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and validate immune response markers in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism using multi-omics analysis.
• To establish a scientific basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of AITD.

Main Methods:

• Combined transcriptomics and proteomics on serum and whole blood samples from hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, and healthy individuals.
• ELISA for validating biomarker expression levels and correlation with clinical features.
• Development of predictive models for AITD using identified biomarkers.

Main Results:

• Differentially expressed genes and proteins associated with immune function, antigen-antibody binding, and immune cell alterations were identified.
• Key biomarkers IGHG3 (common to both), ISG15 (hyperthyroidism), and ZNF683 (hypothyroidism) were validated via ELISA.
• Biomarker levels correlated with thyroid function, and predictive models showed good performance.

Conclusions:

• Significant immune function and immune cell changes occur in AITD patients compared to healthy controls.
• ISG15, ZNF683, and IGHG3 serve as novel biomarkers for diagnosing and monitoring AITD.
• These findings support personalized treatment approaches for AITD.