Abstract

Objective: To determine the circulatory miRNA expression levels in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) at the time of diagnosis and follow-up period compared with healthy controls.

Methods: We collected blood samples from 34 patients with HT (4 males and 30 females) at the time of first diagnosis (Group P) and euthyroid period (Group E). Thirty-three healthy controls (Group H) blood samples were also included in the study. Expression levels of five different circulating miRNAs (miR-22, miR-141, miR-155, miR-375, miR-451) were evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results: There was a significant difference in miR-375 levels between the groups P and H. Also, for miR-451, there was a significant difference between the P and E groups. Finally, there was a moderate positive correlation between thyroid-stimulating hormone values and miR-22 expression levels for the P group.

Conclusion: miRNAs have important roles at all stages of the diseases. More studies must be performed in all thyroid diseases and autoimmune diseases, including HT.

Keywords: Circulatory miRNA, Hashimoto thyroiditis, miR-451, miR-375, miR-22, autoimmune condition.