Fig. 3.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) displayed on fibrocytes generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can function to initiate cytokine production. Cultured cells, in this case from a patient with Graves' disease, were treated with bovine thyroid-stimulating hormone (bTSH) (5 mU/ml) or interleukin (IL)-1β (10 ng/ml) for 48 h. The medium was subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays specific for (a) IL-6 or (b) tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Data are expressed as the mean ± standard error of the mean of three replicate culture wells from a representative experiment (*P < 0·001). (Reprinted with permission; Douglas, RS et al. Increased generation of fibrocytes in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, Copyright 2010, The Endocrine Society.)