Abstract:

Objective  To observe the effects of short-term treatment of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosidium (TWP) on T-lymphocyte subsets in thyroid tissue of Hashimoto′s disease. Methods  A total of 60 patients with Hashimoto′s disease were randomly divided into 2 groups: the control group (n=30) receiving levothyroxine sodium or thyrozol, and the TWP group (n=30)  treated with TWP besides levothyroxine sodium or thyrozol. After 3-month treatment, the changes of T-lymphocyte subsets were observed and compared, including the total T-lymphocytes (CD3+), regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+), helper T-cell (CD3+CD4+), total B-lymphocytes (CD3-CD19+), cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD3+CD8+), the degree of lymphocytic infiltrates, TG-Ab, TPO-Ab and TRAb. Results  After the treatment of TWP, the numbers of CD3+ T cells and CD3+CD4+ Treg cells  reduced (P<0.05), and were significantly lower than those of the control group after treatment (P<0.05); the numbers of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes increased (P<0.05), and were significantly higher than those of the control group after treatment (P<0.05). Lymphocyte infiltration in the thyroid reduced (P<0.05), and was less than that of the control group (P<0.05). Three kinds of antibodies of the TWP group had declined more significantly than those of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion  TWP short-term treatment has obvious immunomodulatory effects on improving the distribution of T-lymphocyte subsets, lymphocyte infiltration and autoimmune thyroid antibodies.

Key words: Hashimoto′s disease, T-lymphocyte subsets, Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosidium, Lymphocyte infiltration, Autoantibody