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Emerging Role of Fibrocytes in the Pathogenesis of Thyroid Eye Disease

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Thyroid Eye Disease

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Abstract

CD34+ fibrocytes are monocyte lineage progenitor cells derived from bone marrow. They have been implicated in several examples of experimental tissue injury and remodeling. In this chapter, I attempt to present the current evidence that these fibrocytes might play an important pathogenic role in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). TAO, an autoimmune process closely related to Graves’ disease, is a process where the orbital tissues become inflamed, expand, and accumulate hyaluronan. The active phase of the disease culminates in extensive tissue remodeling and fibrosis. My colleagues and I have reported recently that circulating fibrocytes appear to infiltrate the orbit in TAO and express several proteins previously thought to be expressed only in the thyroid gland. We hypothesize that the promiscuous expression of these thyroid proteins by fibrocytes might underlie the localized immune reactivity in TAO. I suggest further that this new insight, if correct, might constitute the basis for antigen-specific therapy development for this vexing clinical condition.

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Acknowledgments

The valuable assistance of Yao Wang in identifying reference material for this chapter is gratefully acknowledged as is the great help provided by Ms. Justyna Piernicka. This work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants EY008976, EY011708, DK063121, Core Center for Vision grant EY007003 from the National Eye Institute, an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, and the Bell Charitable Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, 1000 Wall St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA

    Terry J. Smith M.D.

  2. Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Terry J. Smith M.D.

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  1. Terry J. Smith M.D.
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Correspondence to Terry J. Smith M.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Eye Plastic, Orbital, and Facial Cosmetic Surgery, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Raymond S. Douglas

  2. Division of Eye Plastic, Orbital, and Facial Cosmetic Surgery, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Allison N. McCoy

  3. Division of Eye Plastic, Orbital, and Facial Cosmetic Surgery, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Shivani Gupta

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Smith, T.J. (2015). Emerging Role of Fibrocytes in the Pathogenesis of Thyroid Eye Disease. In: Douglas, R., McCoy, A., Gupta, S. (eds) Thyroid Eye Disease. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1746-4_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1746-4_3

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