Increased Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number and Oxidative Damage in Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

The purpose of present study was to investigate mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and mtDNA damage in peripheral blood of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and healthy controls (HC).

The relative mtDNAcn and oxidative DNA damage in this case-control study were measured in peripheral blood of 50 patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and 50 healthy controls using quantitative real-time PCR. The study was conducted in Tehran University of Medical Sciences hospital, Tehran, Iran in 2018.

HT patients had significantly higher mitochondrial DNA copy number and mitochondrial oxidative damage than the comparison group.

These data suggest the possible involvement of mitochondria and oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of HT.