Alpha Interferon and Autoimmune Thyroiditis in Mice
Author Information
Author(s): Yael Oppenheim, Grace Kim, Yoshiyuki Ban, Pamela Unger, Erlinda Concepcion, Takao Ando, Yaron Tomer
Primary Institution: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Bone Diseases, New York, NY, USA
Hypothesis
Does alpha interferon accelerate the development of thyroiditis in genetically susceptible mice?
Conclusion
Alpha interferon treatment did not accelerate thyroiditis in the NOD H2h4 mouse model.
Supporting Evidence
- 46.2% of mice injected with alpha interferon developed thyroiditis compared to 30.8% in the saline group.
- None of the mice developed clinical thyroiditis or diabetes mellitus.
- Power calculations indicated that at least 80 mice per group would be needed to detect significant differences.
Takeaway
The study tested if a medicine called alpha interferon makes mice with a genetic risk for thyroid problems get sick faster, but it found that it doesn't.
Methodology
NOD H2h4 male mice were injected with alpha interferon or saline three times a week for 8 weeks, and their thyroids were examined.
Limitations
The study may not have detected small effects of alpha interferon due to the small sample size and variability in thyroiditis incidence.
Participant Demographics
Six to eight week old male NOD H2h4 mice were used.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.4
Statistical Significance
p=0.4
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website