AIM: To study serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecules -1(sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule -1(sVCAM-1)and expression of miRNA-146a in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)and its significance in patients with thyroid associated ophthalmopathy(TAO).

METHODS: From June 2014 to December 2015 in our hospital, 37 patients with TAO(TAO group), 40 patients with hyperthyroidism without TAO(non eye disease group)and 30 healthy people(control group)were enrolled and the serum concentrations of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and expression of miRNA-146a in PBMC were detected.

RESULTS: The serum sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 of TAO group were 366.14±67.28g/L, 211.07±27.45g/L level was significantly higher than those of non eye disease group(286.62±51.09μg/L, 179.83±25.09μg/L)and healthy group(234.51±38.969μg/L, 164.51±22.57μg/L)(P<0.05). In TAO group, miRNA-146a(0.071±0.016)in PBMC was lower than that in non eye disease group(0.381±0.084)and healthy group(1.105±0.216)(P<0.05). The serum levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were significantly higher in non eye disease group than in healthy group(P<0.05), and the expression of RNA-146a in PBMC was lower in the non eye disease group than in the healthy group(P<0.05). The serum levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 in the mild TAO group were significantly lower than those in the moderate-severe groups and extremely severe group(P<0.05), and the miRNA-146a expression in the mild TAO group was higher than those in the moderate-severe group and extremely severe group(P<0.05). The serum levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were significantly lower in the moderate-severe group than those in the extremely severe group(P<0.05), and the expression of miRNA-146a in the moderate -severe group was significantly higher than that in the extremely severe group(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Serum sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 in TAO patients is with high expression, miRNA-146a in PBMC in TAO patients with low expression, and related to the degree of patient's condition.