IL-38 gene expression: A new player in Graves’ ophthalmopathy patients in Iraq

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Thyroid eye illness is widely recognized as one of the most significant concerns confronting the medical profession today. The thyroid-related ophthalmopathy also known as Graves’ ophthalmopathy is an autoimmune disorder that cannot be reversed and hence, research pertaining to the identification of novel markers that can explain both the prognosis and the recovery of the condition is needed. In this study, we aimed to investigate the IL-38 gene expression levels among Graves’ ophthalmopathy patients in Iraq. Methodology: The TSH levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The level of IL-38 gene expression in patient blood samples and normal healthy controls was measured qualitatively using RT-PCR. Results: Patients who were diagnosed with Graves’ ophthalmopathy were observed to have abnormally low levels of thyrotropin (TSH) in their serum. In these patients, the interleukin IL-38 gene expression was observed to be significantly greater compared to healthy controls (P<0.01), the tendency of which continued even after one year of therapy with anti-thyroid drugs. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the IL-38 transcript is important in the autoimmune response. The identification of IL-38 expression levels could contribute in the early clinical diagnosis and treatment of thyroid eye disease