Roles of T cell subpopulations in thyroid eye disease

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease involving the extraocular tissues. It often occurs in patients with hyperthyroidism or a history of hyperthyroidism; however, it can also occur in euthyroid or hypothyroid patients. The immune cells involved in TED have been vigorously investigated, most notably the role of multiple T cell subpopulations. A comprehensive understanding of T cells in both animal and human studies can help us better understand the disease. This review aims to understand the roles of specific T cell subpopulations in TED. By discussing the effects of T cell subpopulations in animal models and human studies of TED, this review highlights the important role of imbalances of T cell subpopulations in TED. The discrepancies between human and animal studies of TED are also discussed in this review. Novel treatments targeting various T cell subpopulations could be developed to manage the disease.