Hypothyroidism in Noninterferon Treated-HCV Infected Individuals Is Associated with Abnormalities in the Regulation of Th17 Cells.

HCV-Ag-specific TH17 cells secrete IL17, a cytokine involved in autoimmune diseases and regulated by IL10 and TGF-b. 5-12% of patients with chronic HCV infection have hypothyroidism. We evaluated the role of these cytokines in this patients by determining serum concentration of TsH, T3, free T4, IL2, IL10, IL12, IL17, TGF-b, anti-TG, TPO, CCP, GBM, and cardiolipin antibodies in 87 chronically noninterferon treated HCV-infected patients.