Soluble fas and fas ligand in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disorders

This study was designed to examine whether the apoptotic-inhibitor sFas and the apoptotic inducer FasL are differentially present in two opposite phenotypes of autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITD) and nodular goiter (NG). Methods: sFas and FasL levels were determined using ELISA in the serum sample of a total 70 patients with thyroid disorders. Fas-mediated apoptosis plays an important role in the active stage of the autoimmune process of both GD and HT. Increased sFas in GD and FasL in HT may contribute to homeostasis in thyroid gland. In NG, however, sFas and FasL may provide a key protective signal that helps the cells to avoid apoptosis in a hostile environment