Apoptotic Study in Graves Disease Treate

This study investigates the apoptosis mechanism in the thyroid tissue of patients with Graves disease (GD) undergoing thyroid arterial embolization. The objective was to elucidate the influence of this treatment on pro-apoptotic gene expression. A total of 41 patients diagnosed with GD were treated via thyroid arterial embolization and monitored over a follow-up period ranging from three to 54 months post-procedure. Key thyroid autoimmune antibodies, including thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb), thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb), and thyroid microsomal antibody (TMAb), were systematically assessed before embolization and at intervals of 1, 3, 6, 12, and 36 months. Additionally, thyroid biopsies were conducted under computed tomography guidance to facilitate immunohistochemistry analysis using semi-quantitative methods. The results revealed significant increases in the expression of pro-apoptotic markers Fas, FasL, and Bax following embolization, while no P53 expression was detected pre-treatment. Notably, the elevation in gene expression accompanied by increased positive cell staining suggests that thyroid arterial embolization effectively promotes apoptosis in GD thyroid, aiding in the restoration of its size and functionality to normal levels.