Undetectable levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, nitric oxide and inadequate expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in congenital hypothyroidism

Eur Cytokine Netw. 2003 Jan-Mar;14(1):65-8.

Abstract

Objective: To analyse the production of TNF-alpha and NO in euthyroid and hypothyroid newborns.

Patients: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 10 newborns diagnosed with primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH; group A) and 10 euthyroid children (group B).

Results: There were undetectable plasma levels of TNF-alpha and NO in the hypothyroid children, however plasma levels of TNF-alpha (5.5 0.5 pg/ml) and NO (5.6 1.7 microM) were detected at normal levels in all euthyroid children. Moreover, expression of iNOS mRNA in PBMC, determined by RT-PCR, was negative in both groups of infants.

Conclusion: TNF-alpha and NO production are both impaired in hypothyroid newborns. We report for the first time evidence of undetectable levels of TNF-alpha and NO in infants with CH.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Base Sequence
  • Congenital Hypothyroidism*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • DNA Primers
  • Humans
  • Hypothyroidism / enzymology
  • Hypothyroidism / immunology*
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Nitric Oxide / blood*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / blood*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / genetics
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / analysis*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Nitric Oxide
  • NOS2 protein, human
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II