IFNG/IFNG-AS1 and ZFAT/ZFAT-AS1 axes as diagnostic markers in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

Abstract Background The most prevalent autoimmune thyroid condition, Hashiomoto’s Thyroiditis (HT), affects around 10% of people globally. This study investigates the expression of two genes: interferon gamma gene (IFNG) and zinc finger and AT-hook domain containing gene (ZFAT) with their long noncoding RNAs: interferon gamma antisense RNA 1 (IFNG-AS1) and Zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAT-AS1) respectively in peripheral blood from HT cases and controls. Methods Patients from the Menoufia University Hospitals’ Internal Medicine and Endocrinology Department participated in our case-control study. Seventy five HT patients and seventy five controls provided blood specimens. All subjects had their serum thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG), thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and lipid profile evaluated. Real-time PCR was used to measure IFNG, lncRNA IFNG-AS1, ZFAT, and lncRNA ZFAT-AS1 expressions. Results Body mass index, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), total cholesterol, TSH, anti-TG, anti-TPO levels, lncRNA IFNG-AS1, lncRNA ZFAT-AS1 and IFNG expression levels were significantly elevated in HT cases. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), free T3, free T4 and ZFAT expression levels were considerably lower in patients. Among the studied markers, IFNG showed the highest diagnostic sensitivity, followed by lncRNA IFNG-AS1 in discriminating HT cases from controls. In HT cases, IFNG showed significant positive correlations with anti-TPO and lncRNA IFNG-AS1. IFNG, lncRNA IFNG-AS1, ZFAT and lncRNA ZFAT-AS1 were significant independent predictors for HT. Conclusions HT was significantly associated with upregulated IFNG, lncRNA IFNG-AS1 and lncRNA ZFAT-AS1 with downregulated ZFAT gene, so they can be potently used as independent diagnostic and predictor markers for HT. Expression of the studied genes was correlated with thyroid autoantibodies and seem to be directly engaged in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis pathogenesis.