Objective: To investigate the expression of chemokine receptor (CCR1) in the orbital fibroblasts (OFs) with thyroid associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) and to explore the pathogenesis of TAO.
Methods: By immunohistochemistry, the expression of CCR1 was studied in 25 cases of TAO patients and 10 normal control subjects and the correlation between CCR1 and GAS was analysed.
Results: The expression of CCR1 in the OFs with TAO was positive, but it was negative or weak positive in normal control subjects. The difference between them was significant (P < 0.05). And the expression of CCR1 in the OFs with TAO had no significant correlation with GAS (r = 0. 048, P > 0.05).
Conclusion: The expression of chemokine receptor CCR1 is higher on OFs of TAO patients than that of normal subjects. CCR1 maybe play a role in pathogenesis of TAO.