This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Klintschar, M. Articles by Kleiber, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Klintschar, M. Articles by Kleiber, M. Pubmed/NCBI databases OMIM

Evidence of Fetal Microchimerism in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Institute of Legal Medicine (Mi.K., Ma.K.) and Department of Pediatrics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (P.S.), D06112 Halle/Saale Germany; and Institute of Pathology, University Graz (S.M., S.R.), A8036 Graz, Austria

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. M. Klintschar, Institute of Legal Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Franzosenweg 4, D06112 Halle/Saale Germany. E-mail: michael.klintschar{at}medizin.uni-halle.de

Abstract

Fetal microchimerism, the engraftment of fetal progenitor cells into maternal tissues, has been implicated in the etiology of autoimmune diseases. We used PCR analysis to determine whether microchimerism occurred in the thyroid glands of female patients suffering from Hashimoto’s disease and thus may be involved in its etiology. PCR amplification was performed from thyroid gland specimens using primers unique to a Y-chromosomal sequence (SRY gene) and primers for a sequence that is Y/X-chromosomal homologous except for a 6-bp deletion in the X-chromosomal sequence (amelogenin). Microchimerism was detected in 8 of 17 Hashimoto patients, but in only 1 of 25 controls (nodular goiters). Both groups were of similar age and had comparable numbers of pregnancies and numbers of sons. All individuals with microchimerism had given birth to at least 1 son. Our results show that microchimerism is significantly more common in Hashimoto patients than in patients suffering from nodular goiter. We therefore suggest that microchimerism might play a role in the development of Hashimoto’s disease, although we cannot completely eliminate the hypothesis that microchimerism is just an "innocent bystander" in a process triggered by other mechanisms.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				V. Cirello, M. P. Recalcati, M. Muzza, S. Rossi, M. Perrino, L. Vicentini, P. Beck-Peccoz, P. Finelli, and L. Fugazzola Fetal Cell Microchimerism in Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Possible Role in Tumor Damage and Tissue Repair Cancer Res., October 15, 2008; 68(20): 8482 - 8488. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.-C. Maurel and C. Kanellopoulos-Langevin Heredity--Venturing Beyond Genetics Biol Reprod, July 1, 2008; 79(1): 2 - 8. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. K. Gadi and J. L. Nelson Fetal Microchimerism in Women with Breast Cancer Cancer Res., October 1, 2007; 67(19): 9035 - 9038. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Bustos, S. Frias, S. Ramos, A. Estrada, J. L. Arreola, F. Mendoza, M. Gaxiola, M. Salcedo, A. Pardo, and M. Selman Local and Circulating Microchimerism Is Associated with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., July 1, 2007; 176(1): 90 - 95. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. C. L. Kremer Hovinga, M. Koopmans, E. de Heer, J. A. Bruijn, and I. M. Bajema Chimerism in systemic lupus erythematosus--three hypotheses Rheumatology, February 1, 2007; 46(2): 200 - 208. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Klintschar, U.-D. Immel, A. Kehlen, P. Schwaiger, T. Mustafa, S. Mannweiler, S. Regauer, M. Kleiber, and C. Hoang-Vu Fetal microchimerism in Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a quantitative approach Eur. J. Endocrinol., February 1, 2006; 154(2): 237 - 241. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. B. Pedersen, P. Laurberg, N. Knudsen, T. Jorgensen, H. Perrild, L. Ovesen, and L. B. Rasmussen Lack of association between thyroid autoantibodies and parity in a population study argues against microchimerism as a trigger of thyroid autoimmunity Eur. J. Endocrinol., January 1, 2006; 154(1): 39 - 45. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. P. Walsh, A. P. Bremner, M. K. Bulsara, P. O'Leary, P. J. Leedman, P. Feddema, and V. Michelangeli Parity and the Risk of Autoimmune Thyroid Disease: A Community-Based Study J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2005; 90(9): 5309 - 5312. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Vernochet, S. M. Caucheteux, M.-C. Gendron, J. Wantyghem, and C. Kanellopoulos-Langevin Affinity-Dependent Alterations of Mouse B Cell Development by Noninherited Maternal Antigen Biol Reprod, February 1, 2005; 72(2): 460 - 469. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Renne, E. Ramos Lopez, S. A. Steimle-Grauer, P. Ziolkowski, M. A. Pani, C. Luther, K. Holzer, A. Encke, R. A. Wahl, W. O. Bechstein, et al. Thyroid Fetal Male Microchimerisms in Mothers with Thyroid Disorders: Presence of Y-Chromosomal Immunofluorescence in Thyroid-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Is More Prevalent in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and Graves' Disease Than in Follicular Adenomas J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2004; 89(11): 5810 - 5814. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. L. Johnson and D. W. Bianchi Fetal cells in maternal tissue following pregnancy: what are the consequences? Hum. Reprod. Update, November 1, 2004; 10(6): 497 - 502. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. M. Adams and J. L. Nelson Microchimerism: An Investigative Frontier in Autoimmunity and Transplantation JAMA, March 3, 2004; 291(9): 1127 - 1131. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Ando and T. F. Davies Postpartum Autoimmune Thyroid Disease: The Potential Role of Fetal Microchimerism J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2003; 88(7): 2965 - 2971. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. N. Pearce, A. P. Farwell, and L. E. Braverman Thyroiditis N. Engl. J. Med., June 26, 2003; 348(26): 2646 - 2655. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J L Nelson Microchimerism and human autoimmune diseases Lupus, October 1, 2002; 11(10): 651 - 654. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. Ando, M. Imaizumi, P. N. Graves, P. Unger, and T. F. Davies Intrathyroidal Fetal Microchimerism in Graves' Disease J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2002; 87(7): 3315 - 3320. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Imaizumi, A. Pritsker, P. Unger, and T. F. Davies Intrathyroidal Fetal Microchimerism in Pregnancy and Postpartum Endocrinology, January 1, 2002; 143(1): 247 - 253. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Stevens and J. L. Nelson Maternal and Fetal Microchimerism: Implications for Human Diseases NeoReviews, January 1, 2002; 3(1): e11 - 19. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. F. Muller, H. A. Drexhage, and A. Berghout Postpartum Thyroiditis and Autoimmune Thyroiditis in Women of Childbearing Age: Recent Insights and Consequences for Antenatal and Postnatal Care Endocr. Rev., October 1, 2001; 22(5): 605 - 630. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]