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VEGF and GM-CSF levels in nodular thyroid diseases

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Abstract

VEGF is a specific mitogen for endothelial cells. GM-CSF is a key player in the regulation of steady-state functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate VEGF and GM-CSF levels in thyroid nodules >1 cm, which are negative for malignancy with fine needle aspiration biopsy. Age, serum VEGF, GM-CSF, TSH, fT3, fT4, anti-TG, anti-TPO, thyroid size, and thyroid volume were compared between 41 female patients and 20 healthy female volunteers. This study was performed with 41 female patients who were euthyroid and whose nodules were benign. Twenty healthy female volunteers were enrolled as the control group. VEGF and GM-CSF were assayed by ELISA; TSH, fT3, and fT4 were detected by electrochemiluminescence method and anti-TPO and anti-TG were detected by competitive immunoassay method. Only thyroid volume and anti-TG levels were significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.007 and p < 0.026, respectively). Other parameters including VEGF and GM-CSF were not significantly different. VEGF has a weak positive correlation only with anti-TPO levels in the patient group (r = 0.325, p = 0.036). There was a weak positive correlation between anti-TPO and anti-TG (r = 0.388, p = 0.007). There was a positive correlation between nodule size and thyroid volume (r = 0.464, p = 0.015). GM-CSF was not correlated with any parameters. VEGF and GM-CSF were not found to be increased in euthyroid patients with benign nodules and they do not seem to play a role in development of simple nodular goiter.

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Abbreviations

VEGF:

Vascular endothelial growth factor

GM-CSF:

Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor

TSH:

Thyroid-stimulating hormone

fT3:

Free triiodothyronine

fT4:

Free thyroxine

Anti-TG:

Anti-thyroglobulin

Anti-TPO:

Anti-thyroid peroxidase

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No financial conflict of interest exists. The author does not have any potential conflict of interest on the discussed topic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey

    Birsen Bilgici & Ozgur K. Tuncel

  2. Department of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey

    Gulcin C. Ecemis, Elif K. Kan & Aysegul Atmaca

  3. Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey

    Ilkay K. Bayrak

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  1. Birsen Bilgici
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  2. Gulcin C. Ecemis
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Correspondence to Birsen Bilgici.

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Bilgici, B., Ecemis, G.C., Tuncel, O.K. et al. VEGF and GM-CSF levels in nodular thyroid diseases. Endocrine 45, 61–66 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-013-9945-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-013-9945-7

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