Haiyan Chen,1 Jiamin Cao,2 Feng Zhang,2 Wei Xiong2 

1Wuzhou Workers Hospital, Wuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Wei Xiong, Department of Ophthalmology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Yuelu District, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13808469035, Email weixiong420@csu.edu.cn

Abstract: Growing research proves gut microbiota and thyroid autoimmunity are linked. Graves’ disease (GD), as an autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), is attributed to the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) autoantibodies that bind to the thyroid follicular endothelial cells. It is well known that genetic factors, environmental factors, and immune disorders count for much in the development of GD. So far, the pathogenesis of GD is not elucidated. Emerging research reveals that the change in gut microbiota composition and its metabolites are related to GD. The gut microbial diversity is reduced in GDs compared with healthy controls (HCs). Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes account for a large proportion at the genus level. It is found that phyla Bacteroidetes increased while phyla Firmicutes decreased in Graves’ Disease patients (GD patients). Moreover, gut microbiota modulates the immune system to produce cytokines through bacterial metabolites. This article aims to find out the relation between gut microbiota dysbiosis and the development of GD. As more molecular pathways of bacterial metabolites are revealed, targeting microbiota is expected to the treatment of GD.

Keywords: Graves’ Disease, gut microbiota, autoimmunity, dysbiosis, Firmicutes, bacteroidetes