Endocrine Abstracts

Thyroid Associated Ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an autoimmune inflammatory condition that usually occurs in patients with Graves' disease. Current treatment for TAO is inadequate and anti-cytokine agents may represent a potential new therapeutic strategy. Orbital fibroblasts are central to the disease mechanism, and have been shown by immunohistochemisty to up-regulate adhesion molecule ICAM1 expression in response to certain cytokines including TNFalpha.In t...