Recombinant Human Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Increases the Percentages of Natural Killer T Cells and B Lymphocytes in Human Peripheral Blood In Vivo

• Main Authors: Zbigniew Adamczewski, Mariusz Stasiołek, Arkadiusz Zygmunt, Przemysław W. Śliwka, Katarzyna Wieczorek-Szukała, Andrzej Lewiński
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-11-01
• Series: Frontiers in Endocrinology
• Subjects: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH); dendritic cells; monocytes; thyroid; lymphocytes; natural killer (NK) cells
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2020.543845/full

Multiple cellular and humoral components of the immune system play a significant role in the physiology and pathophysiology of various organs including the thyroid. On the other hand, both thyroid hormones and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) have been shown to exert immunoregulatory activities, which are difficult to assess independently in vivo. In our study we employed a unique clinical model for the assessment of TSH biological function in humans. The structure of peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations was investigated, using flow cytometry, in athyroid patients (n = 109) after treatment because of the differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) at two time-points: directly before and five days after recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) administration. The analysis revealed significant increase in the percentage of natural killer T cells and B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of rhTSH treated patients, whereas, we did not observe any effects on investigated subpopulations of dendritic cells and monocytes, T cells and natural killer cells. The findings of the study indicate the immune regulatory role of TSH, directed specifically on selected cell subtypes.