The presence of cell-free fetal DNA in the serum from non-pregnant women with thyroid disease

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Microchimerism is the state that low-level donor cells or progenitor cells maintain in a host. Recently, microchimerism has been considered as the possible pathogenesis of some diseases, including auto immune diseases. Our aim was to examine whether or not cell-free fetal DNA existed in the serum collected from non-pregnant women who were suffering from thyroid disease. After obtaining written informed consent, we took peripheral blood samples from 99 non-pregnant women suffering from thyroid disease. For the control group, we recruited 71 non-pregnant women without either thyroid disease or auto immune diseases. DNA was extracted from the serum. Then, we performed a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the SRY sequence as a marker of fetal microchimerism. We detected the SRY sequence in 6 of 99 patients (6.1%). The longest period after the birth of the youngest son was 56 years. On the other hand, the SRY sequence was not detectable in the control group (0%). This is the first report to examine microchimerism in the serum from patients with thyroid disease. We detected cell-free fetal DNA in serum specimens taken from non-pregnant women suffering from thyroid disease. Our findings suggest that fetal microchimerism is a possible pathogenesis of thyroid diseases.