Background: Although Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is one of most common autoimmune thyroid diseases, its treatment remains focused on symptom relief. The soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) shows potential functions as drug target in alleviating some autoimmune diseases, however, we seldom know its role in HT.
Methods: The protein expression of sEH and related downstream molecules were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, western blotting, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay or immunofluorescence staining. RNA sequencing of tissue samples was performed to analyze differential genes and dysregulated pathways in HT and controls. The thyroid follicular epithelial cells (TFECs) and rat HT model were used to verify the biological function of sEH and the inhibition role of adamantyl-ureido-dodecanoic acid (AUDA) in HT.
Results: The sEH was significantly up-regulated in HT patients compared with healthy individuals. Transcriptome sequencing showed cytokine-related pathways and chemokine expression, especially chemokine CXCL10 and its receptor CXCR3 were aberrant in HT patients. In TFECs and rat HT model, blocking sEH by AUDA inhibitor could effectively inhibit the autoantibody, pro-inflammatory NF-κB signaling, chemokine CXCL10/CXCR3 expression and type-1 helper CD4+ T cells.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that sEH/NF-κB p65/CXCL10-CXCR3 might be promising therapeutic targets for HT.
Keywords: CXCL10; Hashimoto's thyroiditis; Th1 cells; chemokine; sEH.
Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society 2024.