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Detection of enterovirus RNA in postoperative thyroid tissue specimens
Author(s) -
Desailloud Rachel,
Goffard Anne,
Page Cyril,
Kairis Benoit,
Fronval Stéphanie,
Chatelain Denis,
Strunski Vladimir,
Dubreuil Alain,
Hober Didier
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2008.03331.x
Subject(s) - thyroid , thyroiditis , medicine , autoimmune thyroiditis , pathology , enterovirus , thyroid cancer , lymphocytic infiltration , anti thyroid autoantibodies , adenoma , thyroid adenoma , rna , thyroid disease , thyroid carcinoma , gastroenterology , endocrinology , autoantibody , antibody , immunology , virus , biology , gene , biochemistry
Summary Context Autoimmune thyroiditis is a very common disease. A genetic predisposition and environmental factors such as viruses are thought to contribute to the development of autoimmune thyroiditis. Enteroviruses, which are involved in other autoimmune diseases, are attractive candidates. Objective To investigate the presence of enteroviral genome sequences in postoperative thyroid tissues with lymphocytic infiltration, a common histological feature of thyroiditis. Subjects and methods Postoperative thyroid specimens collected prospectively from 86 patients were blindly frozen at –80 °C. The presence of EV genome sequences in the samples was blindly investigated by real‐time RT‐PCR. Clinical data, histological findings and levels of anti‐TPO antibodies were collected. Results EV‐RNA detection was positive (up to 36 cycles) or weakly positive (37–39 cycles) in 22 out of 86 patients (25%). EV‐RNA (positive or weakly positive signal) was detected in 5 out of 27 (18·5%) thyroid specimens with lymphocytic infiltration, and in 17 out of 59 (29%) thyroid specimens without lymphocytic infiltration ( P = 0·4). No correlation was observed between EV‐RNA detection in thyroid and the presence of anti‐TPOAb. EV‐RNA was detected in 3 out of 11 patients histologically diagnosed as thyroiditis (27·3%) and in 18 out of 74 patients (24·3%) with thyroid tumours (multinodular goitre, adenoma and carcinoma) ( P = 0·5) and in one patient with a normal thyroid. Conclusion EV‐RNA can be detected in thyroid tissue from patients with various thyroid diseases, but there is no relationship between the presence of EV‐RNA and thyroiditis. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of EV in thyroid diseases.