CD34⁻ Orbital Fibroblasts From Patients With Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy Modulate TNF-α Expression in CD34⁺ Fibroblasts and Fibrocytes

Abstract

Our data indicate that CD34- OF appear to release a soluble(s) factor that downregulates expression and induction by bTSH of TNF-α in fibrocytes and their derivative CD34+ OF. We proffer that CD34- OF produce an unidentified modulatory factor that attenuates TNF-α expression in GD-OF and may do so in the TAO orbit.