Macrophage plasticity in thyroid eye disease: dual effects of inflammation and fibrosis - PubMed

5 hours ago

Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) is an organ-specific inflammatory disorder linked to autoimmune thyroid dysfunction.
Key pathological features include immune cell infiltration, fat hyperplasia, and fibrotic remodeling in orbital tissues.
Macrophages in TED exhibit high plasticity, existing in a functional continuum rather than static M1/M2 phenotypes.
Early disease stages see macrophages leaning towards pro-inflammatory states, releasing mediators like IL-6 and TNF-α.
As the disease progresses, macrophages shift towards pro-fibrotic states, influenced by TGF-β/Smad and STAT3 pathways.
Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone modifications play a role in macrophage functional states.
The review explores therapeutic strategies targeting macrophage plasticity and their regulatory mechanisms.
The study aims to provide a framework for temporal and precision therapies beyond conventional immunosuppression.

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