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It is disputed to what extent tumor necrosis factor-alpha is present in the thyroid follicular epithelial cells and/or in the interstitial cells in different disorders of the thyroid gland. We describe the immunohistochemical detection of tumor necrosis factor-alpha using formaldehyde fixed and paraffin embedded tissue and a polyclonal anti-serum with high tumor necrosis factor-alpha neutralising activity. We examined the distribution of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in interstitial cells and follicular epithelial cells in thyroid carcinomas, adenomas, non-toxic multinodular goiters and autoimmune thyroid diseases. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha was demonstrated in thyroid follicular epithelial cells, most frequently in non-toxic multinodular goiters (six of seven patients) and less frequently in adenomas (three of nine patients), papillary carcinomas (two of five patients), follicular carcinomas (one of five patients), Hashimoto's disease (one of six patients) and Grave's disease (one of seven patients). Tumor necrosis factor-alpha producing interstitial cells were found in two thirds of patients with all six thyroid diseases.

We describe the distribution of interleukin-6 and interleukin-1 alpha in thyroid tissues obtained from patients with autoimmune diseases or neoplastic thyroid disorders employing immunohistochemistry in sections from paraffin embedded tissue blocks. Interleukin-6 was found in thyroid follicular epithelial cells (TFEC) from papillary carcinomas (four of five patients) but not in follicular carcinomas (five patients). Interleukin-6 was also detected in non-toxic multinodular goiters (four of seven patients), in patients with Graves' disease who did not have an early recurrence of hyperthyroidism after surgery (three of four patients), in follicular adenomas (five of nine patients), in Hashimoto's thyroiditis (two out of six patients, both belonging to a group of three with an early stage of the disease), and in paraadenomatous tissues (in three of nine patients). Interleukin-1 alpha positive TFEC were found less frequently than interleukin-6, and only in tissues with interleukin-6 positive TFEC. Only few interleukin-6 and interleukin-1 alpha positive interstitial cells were found, even in the lymphocyte infiltrates (in both the autoimmune, benign or malignant disorders). In conclusion, both interleukin-6 and interleukin-1 alpha could be demonstrated in TFEC from patients with autoimmune diseases, benign neoplasms or papillary carcinoma, whereas follicular cancer tissues were without interleukin-6 and interleukin-1 alpha. In contrast with previous studies, interleukin-6 and interleukin-1 alpha were demonstrated in TFEC from patients with both Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and the presence of these cytokines was related to the stage of the autoimmune process.