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The role of IL-15 and selenium in Graves ophthalmopathy

Nature Reviews Endocrinology volume 7, page 755 (2011)Cite this article

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We read with great interest the News and Views article by Terry J. Smith and Raymond S. Douglas (Pharmacotherapy: Does selenium supplementation improve Graves ophthalmopathy? Nat. Rev. Endocrinol. 7, 505–506; 2011).1 The article discussed the study by Marcocci et al.2 which reported that selenium administration significantly improved quality of life, reduced ocular involvement and slowed progression of the disease in patients with mild Graves ophthalmopathy (GO) but did not explicate the exact pathomechanism. Smith and Douglas1 speculated that selenium might influence the sympathetic tone of the ocular muscles and, alternatively, it might reduce inflammation of the superior tarsal muscle of the eyelid. However, we would like to focus on a proinflammatory cytokine, IL-15, in the pathogenesis of GO associated with selenium deficiency.

Although not extensively studied yet, IL-15, which is involved in the differentiation of T-helper 17 cells, has been reported to be related to autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) such as Graves disease and Hashimoto thyroiditis.3 Higher concentrations of IL-15 were detected in sera from patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis compared with euthyroid individuals.4 Moreover, Pappa et al.5 detected IL-15 in 33% of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy biopsies from extraocular muscle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, Korea

    Se Jin Park

  2. Department of Pediatrics, The Institute of Kidney Disease, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Children's Hospital, Seoul, Korea

    Jae Il Shin

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  1. Se Jin Park
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  2. Jae Il Shin
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Correspondence to Jae Il Shin.

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Park, S., Shin, J. The role of IL-15 and selenium in Graves ophthalmopathy. Nat Rev Endocrinol 7, 755 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2011.128-c1

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