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Lafontaine N, Shore CJ, Campbell PJ, Mullin BH, Brown SJ, Panicker V, Dudbridge F, Brix TH, Hegedüs L, Wilson SG, Bell JT, Walsh JP. Epigenome-wide Association Study Shows Differential DNA Methylation of MDC1, KLF9, and CUTA in Autoimmune Thyroid Disease. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2024; 109:992-999. [PMID: 37962983 PMCID: PMC10940258 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgad659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) includes Graves disease (GD) and Hashimoto disease (HD), which often run in the same family. AITD etiology is incompletely understood: Genetic factors may account for up to 75% of phenotypic variance, whereas epigenetic effects (including DNA methylation [DNAm]) may contribute to the remaining variance (eg, why some individuals develop GD and others HD). OBJECTIVE This work aimed to identify differentially methylated positions (DMPs) and differentially methylated regions (DMRs) comparing GD to HD. METHODS Whole-blood DNAm was measured across the genome using the Infinium MethylationEPIC array in 32 Australian patients with GD and 30 with HD (discovery cohort) and 32 Danish patients with GD and 32 with HD (replication cohort). Linear mixed models were used to test for differences in quantile-normalized β values of DNAm between GD and HD and data were later meta-analyzed. Comb-p software was used to identify DMRs. RESULTS We identified epigenome-wide significant differences (P < 9E-8) and replicated (P < .05) 2 DMPs between GD and HD (cg06315208 within MDC1 and cg00049440 within KLF9). We identified and replicated a DMR within CUTA (5 CpGs at 6p21.32). We also identified 64 DMPs and 137 DMRs in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSION Our study reveals differences in DNAm between GD and HD, which may help explain why some people develop GD and others HD and provide a link to environmental risk factors. Additional research is needed to advance understanding of the role of DNAm in AITD and investigate its prognostic and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Lafontaine
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Christopher J Shore
- Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Purdey J Campbell
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Benjamin H Mullin
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, 6009, Australia
| | - Suzanne J Brown
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Vijay Panicker
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Frank Dudbridge
- Population Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Thomas H Brix
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Odense University Hospital, Odense, 5000, Denmark
| | - Laszlo Hegedüs
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Odense University Hospital, Odense, 5000, Denmark
| | - Scott G Wilson
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, SE1 7EH, UK
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, 6009, Australia
| | - Jordana T Bell
- Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - John P Walsh
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
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Chaker L, Cooper DS, Walsh JP, Peeters RP. Hyperthyroidism. Lancet 2024; 403:768-780. [PMID: 38278171 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(23)02016-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Thyrotoxicosis causes a variety of symptoms and adverse health outcomes. Hyperthyroidism refers to increased thyroid hormone synthesis and secretion, most commonly from Graves' disease or toxic nodular goitre, whereas thyroiditis (typically autoimmune, viral, or drug induced) causes thyrotoxicosis without hyperthyroidism. The diagnosis is based on suppressed serum concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), accompanied by free thyroxine and total or free tri-iodothyronine concentrations, which are raised (overt hyperthyroidism) or within range (subclinical hyperthyroidism). The underlying cause is determined by clinical assessment, detection of TSH-receptor antibodies and, if necessary, radionuclide thyroid scintigraphy. Treatment options for hyperthyroidism include antithyroid drugs, radioactive iodine, and thyroidectomy, whereas thyroiditis is managed symptomatically or with glucocorticoid therapy. In Graves' disease, first-line treatment is a 12-18-month course of antithyroid drugs, whereas for goitre, radioactive iodine or surgery are preferred for toxic nodules or goitres. Evidence also supports long-term treatment with antithyroid drugs as an option for patients with Graves' disease and toxic nodular goitre.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layal Chaker
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David S Cooper
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - John P Walsh
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia; Medical School, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Robin P Peeters
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
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Zhou Z, Liu J, Chen Y, Ren B, Wan S, Chen Y, He Y, Wei Q, Gao H, Liu L, Shen H. Genome-wide DNA methylation pattern in whole blood of patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1259903. [PMID: 38075038 PMCID: PMC10704911 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1259903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), a prevalent autoimmune disorder, is not yet thoroughly understood, especially when it comes to the influence of epigenetics in its pathogenesis. The primary goal of this research was to probe the DNAm profile across the genome in the whole blood derived from patients suffering from HT. Method Using the Illumina 850K BeadChip, we conducted a genome-wide DNAm assessment on 10 matched pairs of HT sufferers and healthy individuals. Genes with differential methylation (DMGs) were identified and underwent functional annotation via the databases of Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. The transcriptional significance of potential epigenetic biomarker genes was corroborated through qRT-PCR. Results The DNAm profiling across the genome indicated an overall reduction in methylation in HT subjects in comparison with their healthy counterparts. We detected 283 DMPs (adjusted P < 0.05 and |Δβ| > 0.1), among which 152 exhibited hypomethylation and 131 demonstrated hypermethylation. Further analysis exposed a noteworthy concentration of hypermethylated DMPs in the 3´UTR, North Shore, and CpG islands, while there was a significant decrease in the Open Sea (all P < 0.001). The 283 DMPs were broadly distributed from chromosome 1 to 22, with chromosome 6 harboring the most DMPs (n = 51) and chromosome 12 carrying the most DMGs (n = 15). The SLFN12 gene, which presented with extreme hypomethylation in its promoter DMPs among HT patients, was identified as the epigenetic marker gene. Consequently, the SLFN12 mRNA expression was markedly upregulated in HT, displaying a negative relationship with its methylation levels. The area under curve (AUC) value for the SLFN12 gene among HT patients was 0.85 (sensitivity: 0.7, specificity: 0.7), a significant difference compared with healthy controls. The methylation levels of all DMPs in SLFN12 gene were negatively correlated with TSH and one CpG site (cg24470734) was positively assocciated with FT4. Conclusion This investigation presents an initial comprehensive DNAm blueprint for individuals with HT, which permits clear differentiation between HT subjects and normal controls through an epigenetic lens. The SLFN12 gene plays a pivotal role in the onset of HT, suggesting that the methylation status of this gene could serve as a potential epigenetic indicator for HT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhou
- Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jinjin Liu
- Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yun Chen
- Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Bingxuan Ren
- Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Siyuan Wan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yao Chen
- Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yanhong He
- Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Qiuyang Wei
- First Clinical Medical Department, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Second Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Haiyan Gao
- Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Lixiang Liu
- Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hongmei Shen
- Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
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Abstract
Graves' disease is a rare disorder that continues to present clinicians and families with a series of challenges. There are no new established treatments for children or adolescents, but the outcomes of recent clinical trials and meta-analyses have helped clinicians to prepare families for the road ahead. We have a more refined understanding of how to administer antithyroid drugs, which one to use and how long to treat the young person. We also have a greater insight into how best to reduce any risks associated with surgery and radioiodine. We understand more about long-term outcomes and their determinants and have greater awareness about the impact of the disease and its treatment on quality of life. A holistic approach to management is key to supporting and counselling young people and their families about the diagnosis and management options. In this review, we will discuss the recent literature and reflect on how this should be translated into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Lane
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Paediatric Endocrinology, Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Claire Louise Wood
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Paediatric Endocrinology, Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Tim Cheetham
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Paediatric Endocrinology, Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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Lafontaine N, Wilson SG, Walsh JP. DNA Methylation in Autoimmune Thyroid Disease. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023; 108:604-613. [PMID: 36420742 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Graves disease and Hashimoto disease form part of the spectrum of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), to which genetic and environmental factors are recognized contributors. Epigenetics provides a potential link between environmental influences, gene expression, and thyroid autoimmunity. DNA methylation (DNAm) is the best studied epigenetic process, and global hypomethylation of leukocyte DNA is reported in several autoimmune disorders. This review summarizes the current understanding of DNAm in AITD. Targeted DNAm studies of blood samples from AITD patients have reported differential DNAm in the promoter regions of several genes implicated in AITD, including TNF, IFNG, IL2RA, IL6, ICAM1, and PTPN22. In many cases, however, the findings await replication and are unsupported by functional studies to support causal roles in AITD pathogenesis. Furthermore, thyroid hormones affect DNAm, and in many studies confounding by reverse causation has not been considered. Recent studies have shown that DNAm patterns in candidate genes including ITGA6, PRKAA2, and DAPK1 differ between AITD patients from regions with different iodine status, providing a potential mechanism for associations between iodine and AITD. Research focus in the field is moving from candidate gene studies to an epigenome-wide approach. Genome-wide methylation studies of AITD patients have demonstrated multiple differentially methylated positions, including some in immunoregulatory genes such as NOTCH1, HLA-DRB1, TNF, and ICAM1. Large, epigenome-wide studies are required to elucidate the pathophysiological role of DNAm in AITD, with the potential to provide novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Lafontaine
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Scott G Wilson
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - John P Walsh
- Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
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6
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Dougherty JD, Marrus N, Maloney SE, Yip B, Sandin S, Turner TN, Selmanovic D, Kroll KL, Gutmann DH, Constantino JN, Weiss LA. Can the "female protective effect" liability threshold model explain sex differences in autism spectrum disorder? Neuron 2022; 110:3243-3262. [PMID: 35868305 PMCID: PMC9588569 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Male sex is a strong risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The leading theory for a "female protective effect" (FPE) envisions males and females have "differing thresholds" under a "liability threshold model" (DT-LTM). Specifically, this model posits that females require either a greater number or larger magnitude of risk factors (i.e., greater liability) to manifest ASD, which is supported by the finding that a greater proportion of females with ASD have highly penetrant genetic mutations. Herein, we derive testable hypotheses from the DT-LTM for ASD, investigating heritability, familial recurrence, correlation between ASD penetrance and sex ratio, population traits, clinical features, the stability of the sex ratio across diagnostic changes, and highlight other key prerequisites. Our findings reveal that several key predictions of the DT-LTM are not supported by current data, requiring us to establish a different conceptual framework for evaluating alternate models that explain sex differences in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Natasha Marrus
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Susan E Maloney
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Benjamin Yip
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sven Sandin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tychele N Turner
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Din Selmanovic
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kristen L Kroll
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David H Gutmann
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - John N Constantino
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lauren A Weiss
- Institute for Human Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Skov J, Kuja-Halkola R, Magnusson PKE, Gudbjörnsdottir S, Kämpe O, Bensing S. Shared etiology of type 1 diabetes and Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a population-based twin study. Eur J Endocrinol 2022; 186:677-685. [PMID: 36321757 PMCID: PMC9175555 DOI: 10.1530/eje-22-0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Type 1 diabetes and Hashimoto's thyroiditis frequently cluster in individuals and in families, indicating shared origins. The objective of this study was to investigate familial co-aggregation of these diseases and to quantify shared genetic and environmental factors. DESIGN This study is a twin cohort study. METHODS National health registers were used to identify cases among 110 814 Swedish twins. Co-aggregation was calculated as risk ratios for type 1 diabetes among co-twins of individuals with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and vice-versa. Variance explained by genetics (i.e. heritability), and the proportions thereof shared between the diseases, was estimated by contrasting associations in monozygotic and dizygotic twins using structural equation models. RESULTS Individuals with one disease were at a high risk for the other disease (adjusted risk ratio: 11.4 (95% CI: 8.5-15.3)). Co-aggregation was more common in monozygotic than in dizygotic pairs, with adjusted risk ratios of 7.0 (95% CI: 3.2-15.1) and 1.7 (95% CI: 0.7-4.1), respectively. Genetic effects shared across diseases accounted for 11% of the variance for type 1 diabetes and 9% of the variance for Hashimoto's thyroiditis, while environmental factors unique to individual twins, but shared across diseases, accounted for 10% of the variance for type 1 diabetes and 18% of the variance for Hashimoto's thyroiditis. CONCLUSIONS Both genes and environment unique to individual twins contribute to considerable etiologic overlap between type 1 diabetes and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. These findings add to the current knowledge on the mechanisms behind autoimmune disease clustering and could guide future research aimed at identifying pathophysiological mechanisms and intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Skov
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine, Karlstad Central Hospital, Karlstad, Sweden
- Correspondence should be addressed to J Skov;
| | - Ralf Kuja-Halkola
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patrik K E Magnusson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Soffia Gudbjörnsdottir
- Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- National Diabetes Register, Centre of Registers, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Olle Kämpe
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine (Solna), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- K.G. Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Diseases, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Sophie Bensing
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Bogusławska J, Godlewska M, Gajda E, Piekiełko-Witkowska A. Cellular and molecular basis of thyroid autoimmunity. Eur Thyroid J 2022; 11:ETJ-21-0024. [PMID: 34981746 PMCID: PMC9142813 DOI: 10.1530/etj-21-0024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is the most common human autoimmune disease. The two major clinical manifestations of AITD are Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). AITD is characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of the thyroid gland, leading either to follicular cell damage, thyroid gland destruction, and development of hypothyroidism (in HT) or thyroid hyperplasia, induced by thyroid antibodies which activate thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) on thyrocytes, leading to hyperthyroidism. The aim of this review is to present up-to-date picture of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie the pathology of AITD. Based on studies involving patients, animal AITD models, and thyroid cell lines, we discuss the key events leading to the loss of immune tolerance to thyroid autoantigens as well as the signaling cascades leading to the destruction of thyroid gland. Special focus is given on the interplay between the environmental and genetic factors, as well as ncRNAs and microbiome contributing to AITD development. In particular, we describe mechanistic models by which SNPs in genes involved in immune regulation and thyroid function, such as CD40, TSHR, FLT3, and PTPN22, underlie AITD predisposition. The clinical significance of novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers based on ncRNAs and microbiome composition is also underscored. Finally, we discuss the possible significance of probiotic supplementation on thyroid function in AITD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Bogusławska
- Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marlena Godlewska
- Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa Gajda
- Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Piekiełko-Witkowska
- Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence should be addressed to A Piekiełko-Witkowska:
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