The Joint Role of Iodine Status and Thyroid Function on Risk for Preeclampsia in Finnish Women: a Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study
BIOLOGICAL TRACE ELEMENT RESEARCH
Authors: Reische, Elijah C.; Mannisto, Tuija; Purdue-Smithe, Alexandra; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Kim, Un-Jung; Suvanto, Eila; Surcel, Helja-Marja; Gissler, Mika; Mills, James L.
Abstract
Preeclampsia, a pregnancy disorder that includes hypertension and proteinuria, is a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Some studies, but not all, have found that women with preeclampsia have significantly lower iodine levels than healthy pregnant women. Resolving this issue is important because iodine deficiency in pregnancy is common in the USA and parts of Europe including Finland. We conducted a nested case-control study to determine whether the risk for preeclampsia is associated with iodine status. We measured serum iodine, thyroglobulin (Tg), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) at 10-14 weeks gestational age in 204 women with preeclampsia and 246 unaffected controls selected from all births in Finland. We found no significant difference in iodine (case mean = 26.04 ng/mL, control mean = 27.88 ng/mL,p= 0.995), Tg (case mean = 31.11 ng/mL, control mean = 29.61 ng/mL,p= 0.996), and TSH (case mean = 1.30 mIU/L, control mean = 1.24 mIU/L,p= 0.896) levels between cases and controls. There was no significant relationship between preeclampsia risk and iodine, Tg, or TSH after adjustment for known risk factors. These results are reassuring given the high prevalence of iodine deficiency in pregnancy.
Analysis of Blimp-1 and PD-1/PD-L1 Immune Checkpoint in an Autoimmune Thyroiditis Animal Model
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
Authors: Zhang, Xue; Lv, Xiaoshu; Chen, Mengya; Liu, Haixia
Abstract
Objective. B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 (Blimp-1) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) have opposing roles in the development of T cells; however, the mechanism of autoimmune thyroiditis- (AIT-) associated abortion is unclear. The present study investigated the expression of Blimp-1 and PD-1/PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in AIT-associated pregnancy loss and elucidated the related signaling pathway involving in the inflammatory response. Methods. An experimental fetal loss model with autoimmune thyroiditis was established after murine thyroglobulin- (mTg-) immunized CBA/J female mice mating with Balb/c males. ELISA was employed to investigate the TgAb level in the serum of CBA/J female mice. The expression of Blimp-1, PD-1/PD-L1, mammalian target protein rapamycin (mTOR), and Foxp3 proteins in the placenta and spleen was detected through immunofluorescence staining and western blotting. Results. ELISA indicated that the serum TgAb level in the mTg group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.001). Fetal resorption rates increased in the mTg group compared with those in the control group (45.63% vs. 3.1%, P<0.05). Blimp-1 levels in the placenta and spleen were higher in the AIT-related miscarriage group than in the control group. However, the expression of PD-1/PD-L1 and Foxp3 was significantly decreased in the placenta and spleen in the AIT-related miscarriage group. Conclusion. Blimp-1 participates in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disease-associated pregnancy loss through the inflammatory immune response, which is potentially mediated through the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway.