Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026
An Ex vivo Culture System to Study Thyroid Development
Published on: June 6, 2014
Inhibitory effect of FK506 on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression on cultured thyroid cells
1Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Insights
FK506, an immunosuppressive drug, reduces intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression on thyroid cells stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA). This effect may involve actions on lymphocytes, not directly on thyroid cells, suggesting potential for autoimmune disease treatment.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Graves' disease involves autoimmune thyroiditis.
- Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) plays a role in immune cell adhesion and inflammation in autoimmune conditions.
- FK506 is an immunosuppressive agent used in transplantation and autoimmune diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of FK506 on ICAM-1 expression in human thyroid cells from Graves' disease patients.
- To determine if FK506 modulates ICAM-1 induction by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or interferon gamma (IFN gamma).
Main Methods:
- Primary human thyroid cells from Graves' disease patients were cultured.
- Cells were treated with PHA or IFN gamma in the presence or absence of FK506.
- ICAM-1 surface expression was quantified using flow cytometry.
- The role of IFN gamma was assessed using anti-IFN gamma antibodies.
Main Results:
- FK506 significantly inhibited PHA-induced ICAM-1 expression on thyroid cells.
- FK506 did not inhibit IFN gamma-induced ICAM-1 expression.
- Anti-IFN gamma antibodies did not block PHA-induced ICAM-1 expression.
- FK506 did not affect thyroid cell proliferation.
Conclusions:
- FK506 inhibits PHA-induced ICAM-1 expression in Graves' disease thyroid cells, potentially through effects on infiltrating lymphocytes rather than direct action on thyrocytes.
- These findings suggest a potential therapeutic role for FK506 in modulating autoimmune responses in the thyroid gland.
Abstract:
The effect of FK506, an immunosuppressive agent, on phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or interferon gamma (IFN gamma)-induced intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression on cultured human thyroid cells from patients with Graves' disease was investigated. Primary cultured thyroid cells were incubated for three days with IFN gamma (10 to 800 U/ml) or PHA (1 to 50 micrograms/ml) in the presence of FK506. The surface expression of ICAM-1 was measured by flow cytometry. In some experiments, polyclonal anti-IFN gamma antibody was added to the culture to determine whether ICAM-1 expression was blocked. FK506 inhibited the PHA-induced ICAM-1 expression in thyroid cells, but not the induction by IFN gamma. PHA-induced ICAM-1 expression was not inhibited by the polyclonal anti-IFN gamma antibody. FK506 did not affect the proliferation of thyroid cells. This data indicates that the inhibitory effect of FK506 on ICAM-1 expression in primary cultured thyroid cells may be due to actions on infiltrating lymphocytes in the thyroid gland. Further studies are necessary to elucidate whether the inhibition of ICAM-1 by FK506 results in the suppression of autoimmune reactions in the thyroid gland.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
01:31Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...