# Nanoparticles in Thyroid Autoimmunity: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications

**Authors:** Giusy Elia, Silvia Martina Ferrari, Francesca Ragusa, Eugenia Balestri, Chiara Botrini, Federica Colapietra, Paola Della Monica, Alessandro Antonelli, Poupak Fallahi, Marina Di Domenico

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/jcm15041428 · 2026-02-12

## TL;DR

This paper explores how nanoparticles can be used to diagnose and treat autoimmune thyroid diseases, offering more effective and personalized medical solutions.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the novel use of nanomedicine for both diagnosing and treating autoimmune thyroid disorders.

## Key findings

- Nanomedicine enables sensitive detection of TSH, iodine, and TSAb for thyroid disease diagnosis.
- Nanoparticles offer new therapeutic approaches for autoimmune thyroiditis and Graves’ disease.
- Future applications of nanomedicine could be personalized based on genetic profiles for better outcomes.

## Abstract

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) represent T cell-mediated, organ-specific autoimmune disorders caused by immune dysregulation, culminating in an immune-mediated attack on thyroid tissue. AITD etiopathogenesis is the result of the interplay between a genetic susceptibility and environmental factors; hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis are the respective clinical hallmarks of autoimmune thyroiditis and Graves’disease, the two main forms of AITD. The application of nanomedicine in the context of thyroid disorders ranges from nanodiagnosis and nanotherapy to nanotheranostics. Nanomedicine has been used to develop new sensitive methods for the determination of the TSH, iodine and TSAb. Furthermore, other studies have used nanomedicine to explore new treatments of autoimmune thyroiditis, Graves’disease and also thyroid eye disease. In the future, the application of nanomedicine will be personalized in accordance with individual genetic profiles, thus improving the therapeutic effectiveness and reducing the undesirable side effects with improved patient outcomes.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** autoimmune thyroiditis (MONDO:0005623), Graves’disease (MONDO:0005364)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** GPX1 (glutathione peroxidase 1) [NCBI Gene 2876] {aka GPXD, GSHPX1}, IFNG (interferon gamma) [NCBI Gene 3458] {aka IFG, IFI, IMD69}, TSHR (thyroid stimulating hormone receptor) [NCBI Gene 7253] {aka CHNG1, LGR3, hTSHR-I}, IL18 (interleukin 18) [NCBI Gene 3606] {aka IGIF, IL-18, IL-1g, IL1F4}, IL6R (interleukin 6 receptor) [NCBI Gene 3570] {aka CD126, HIES5, IL-1Ra, IL-6R, IL-6R-1, IL-6RA}, TG (thyroglobulin) [NCBI Gene 482047], C4A (complement C4A (Chido/Rodgers blood group)) [NCBI Gene 720] {aka C4, C4A2, C4A3, C4A4, C4A6, C4AD}, APOA4 (apolipoprotein A4) [NCBI Gene 337] {aka ADTKD6}, MOG (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein) [NCBI Gene 4340] {aka BTN6, BTNL11, MOGIG2, NRCLP7}, CASP3 (caspase 3) [NCBI Gene 836] {aka CPP32, CPP32B, SCA-1}, CXCL8 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8) [NCBI Gene 3576] {aka GCP-1, GCP1, IL8, LECT, LUCT, LYNAP}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 403922] {aka TNFA, TNLG1F, cTNF}, CD4 (CD4 molecule) [NCBI Gene 920] {aka CD4mut, IMD79, Leu-3, OKT4D, T4}, SGCG (sarcoglycan gamma) [NCBI Gene 6445] {aka 35DAG, A4, DAGA4, DMDA, DMDA1, LGMD2C}, IL18 (interleukin 18) [NCBI Gene 403796] {aka IGIF}, PPARG (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma) [NCBI Gene 5468] {aka CIMT1, FPLD3, GLM1, NR1C3, PPARG1, PPARG2}, NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790] {aka CVID12, EBP-1, KBF1, NF-kB, NF-kB1, NF-kappa-B1}, TPO (thyroid peroxidase) [NCBI Gene 7173] {aka MSA, TDH2A, TPX}, CD274 (CD274 molecule) [NCBI Gene 29126] {aka ADMIO5, B7-H, B7H1, PD-L1, PDCD1L1, PDCD1LG1}, NELFCD (negative elongation factor complex member C/D) [NCBI Gene 51497] {aka HSPC130, NELF-C, NELF-D, TH1, TH1L}, TGFB1 (transforming growth factor beta 1) [NCBI Gene 7040] {aka CAEND1, CED, DPD1, IBDIMDE, LAP, TGF-beta1}, VCAM1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule 1) [NCBI Gene 7412] {aka CD106, INCAM-100}, CD8A (CD8 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 925] {aka CD8, CD8alpha, IMD116, Leu2, p32}, PDCD1 (programmed cell death 1) [NCBI Gene 5133] {aka ADMIO4, AIMTBS, CD279, PD-1, PD1, SLEB2}, CCL2 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 2) [NCBI Gene 6347] {aka GDCF-2, HC11, HSMCR30, MCAF, MCP-1, MCP1}, AHR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor) [NCBI Gene 196] {aka FVH3, RP85, bHLHe76}, NOD2 (nucleotide binding oligomerization domain containing 2) [NCBI Gene 64127] {aka ACUG, BLAU, BLAUS, CARD15, CD, CLR16.3}, IL1B (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 3553] {aka IL-1, IL1-BETA, IL1F2, IL1beta}, CXCR3 (C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 3) [NCBI Gene 2833] {aka CD182, CD183, CKR-L2, CMKAR3, GPR9, IP10-R}, HLA-DRB4 (major histocompatibility complex, class II, DR beta 4) [NCBI Gene 3126] {aka DR4, DRB4, HLA-DR4B, HLA-DRB, HLA-DRB4*}, CXCL10 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10) [NCBI Gene 3627] {aka C7, IFI10, INP10, IP-10, SCYB10, crg-2}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, CRP (C-reactive protein) [NCBI Gene 1401] {aka PTX1}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}, CEBPA (CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha) [NCBI Gene 1050] {aka C/EBP-alpha, CEBP}, NLRP3 (NLR family pyrin domain containing 3) [NCBI Gene 114548] {aka AGTAVPRL, AII, AVP, C1orf7, CIAS1, CLR1.1}, IL10 (interleukin 10) [NCBI Gene 3586] {aka CSIF, GVHDS, IL-10, IL10A, TGIF}, CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4) [NCBI Gene 1493] {aka ALPS5, CD, CD152, CELIAC3, CTLA-4, GRD4}, GC (GC vitamin D binding protein) [NCBI Gene 2638] {aka DBP, DBP-maf, DBP/GC, GRD3, Gc-MAF, GcMAF}, MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase) [NCBI Gene 2475] {aka FRAP, FRAP1, FRAP2, RAFT1, RAPT1, SKS}, CHI3L1 (chitinase 3 like 1) [NCBI Gene 1116] {aka ASRT7, CGP-39, GP-39, GP39, HC-gp39, HCGP-3P}
- **Diseases:** adipose hyperplasia (MESH:D006965), psoriasis (MESH:D011565), immune dysregulation (OMIM:614878), proptosis (MESH:D005094), multiple sclerosis (MESH:D009103), thyroid destruction (MESH:D013966), systemic sclerosis (MESH:D012595), cartilage damage (MESH:D002357), hypoxia (MESH:D000860), infectious diseases (MESH:D003141), AT and GD disorders (MESH:D006111), celiac disease (MESH:D002446), HT (MESH:D050031), SLE (MESH:D008180), Autoimmune Disease (MESH:D001327), ankle swelling (MESH:D016512), inflammatory bowel disease (MESH:D015212), amyloidosis (MESH:D000686), Thyroid diseases (MESH:D013959), Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders (MESH:D013967), dementia (MESH:D003704), T1D (MESH:D003922), thyrotoxicosis (MESH:C566386), allergy (MESH:D004342), hyperthyroid (MESH:D006980), carcinogenesis (MESH:D063646), autoimmune disorder of the orbit (MESH:D009916), sarcoidosis (MESH:D012507), COVID-19 (MESH:D000086382), muscle weakness (MESH:D018908), autoimmune endocrine disorders (MESH:D004700), cancer (MESH:D009369), Sjogren's syndrome (MESH:D012859), Crohn's disease (MESH:D003424), infections (MESH:D007239), Graves' ophthalmopathy (MESH:D049970), osteoporosis (MESH:D010024), mixed cryoglobulinemia (MESH:C565141), atrophy (MESH:D001284), Hypercalcemia (MESH:D006934), Toxicity (MESH:D064420), RA (MESH:D001172), fibrosis (MESH:D005355), injury to (MESH:D014947), chronic inflammation (MESH:D007249), TC (MESH:D013964), diplopia (MESH:D004172), hypothyroidism (MESH:D007037)
- **Chemicals:** PLGA (MESH:D000077182), silver (MESH:D012834), polydopamine (MESH:C568283), calcitriol (MESH:D002117), calcium (MESH:D002118), ROS (MESH:D017382), Doxil (MESH:C506643), diclofenac (MESH:D004008), titanium dioxide (MESH:C009495), MTX (MESH:D008727), Cerium oxide (MESH:C030583), Cepharanthine (MESH:C006947), Iodine (MESH:D007455), fullerenes (MESH:D037741), Teprotumumab (MESH:C551399), perfluorohexane (MESH:C078626), Lipid (MESH:D008055), iron (MESH:D007501), rituximab (MESH:D000069283), dexamethasone (MESH:D003907), Carbon (MESH:D002244), rapamycin (MESH:D020123), Selenium (MESH:D012643), 2-(1'H-indole-3-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (MESH:C548651), polymers (MESH:D011108), carbohydrates (MESH:D002241), azathioprine (MESH:D001379), curcumin (MESH:D003474), gold (MESH:D006046), ATX-GD-59 (-), metal (MESH:D008670), graphene (MESH:D006108), lentinan (MESH:D007912), cyclosporine (MESH:D016572), tocilizumab (MESH:C502936), doxorubicin (MESH:D004317), silica (MESH:D012822), acid (MESH:D000143), Mepact (MESH:C037144)
- **Species:** Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Canis lupus familiaris (dog, subspecies) [taxon 9615]

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12941794