VITAMIN-E AND COENZYME-Q CONCENTRATIONS IN THE THYROID TISSUES OF PATIENTS WITH VARIOUS THYROID-DISORDERS

To clarify the different roles of free radical scavenging systems in v arious thyroid disorders, we measured the levels of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-tocopherols and coenzyme Q in the thyroid tissues of patients w ith thyroid tumors and Graves' disease using high-performance liquid c hromatography. The levels of alpha-tocopherols and gamma-tocopherols i n the thyroid tissue of patients with papillary carcinoma and the leve l of gamma-tocopherol in the thyroid tissue of patients with malignant lymphoma were elevated compared with those in normal thyroid tissues. The level of coenzyme Q was reduced in the thyroid tissue of patients with Graves' disease and follicular and papillary thyroid carcinomas. These findings imply that vitamin E and coenzyme Q as scavengers play some role in thyroid follicular cell hyperfunction or dysfunction.