Thyroid Auto-immune Diseases

Thyroid autoimmune diseases are among the most common organ specific autoimmune diseases. The most prevalent diagnoses are Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which result in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism respectively, and are characterised by lymphocytic infiltration of the thyroid parenchyma. Proteins dysregulated in thyroid autoimmune disease include the thyrotropin receptor, thyroid peroxidase, and thyroglobulin. Disruption of the activity of these proteins results in an alteration in thyroid hormone signalling cascades, which can lead to hormone over or under activity, follicular cell damage and eventual thyroid gland destruction. Complications of unmanaged thyroid disease include thyroid lymphoma and heart disease.

Both genetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute to thyroid autoimmune disease development. There is an up to eight times higher likelihood of these diseases occurring in women, suggesting a role for genetic factors linked to the X-chromosome. A key stage in disease development is the infiltration of antigen presenting cells into the thyroid, which may be triggered by inflammation due to viral or bacterial infiltration. Though prevention of disease is not yet possible in most cases, severe complications of thyroid autoimmune diseases can be avoided by early diagnosis and disease management through medication or surgical treatment.

This Collection will present primary-research that increases our knowledge of the underlying causes and mechanisms behind thyroid autoimmune diseases or presents strategies or tools for earlier diagnosis and improved treatment of these diseases.