Decoding Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Key Genes and Pathways in Inflammation and Pyroptosis

Purpose Inflammation is recognized as a hallmark of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). Although inflammation is an important pathogenic factor that leads to thyroid follicular epithelial cell injury after HT, anti-inflammatory treatments remain controversial in the management of HT. Moreover, the molecular signatures involved in the pathophysiological changes that occur during the course of HT remain ambiguous. Methods The current study investigated the genes and pathways involved in HT by transcriptome sequencing analysis. Furthermore, western blot assays, ELISA and immunohistochemical staining were conducted to validate the expression levels of dysregulated proteins. Results HT was found to be associated with the enrichment of genes related to the inflammatory response, pyroptosis, and regulation of the lipid metabolic process. Further analysis revealed that genes associated with the interleukin (IL)-18 signaling pathway and the NLRP3 inflammasome were upregulated, and the expression levels of the IL-18, NLRP3, and APOC1 proteins were increased. Conclusion The transcriptome data obtained from HT patient samples revealed notable genes and pathways that may be novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of HT.