Study On Changes Of T Lymphocyte Subgroups And Serum Zinc, Selenium, Ferrum, Copper Levels In IBS Patients

Background and AimThe irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder disease, which accounts for a large proportion in clinic. Being lacking of specific clinical features and confirmatory laboratory tests, it is difficult for our physicians in diagnosing and treating IBS patients. Immune abnormity is commonly reported associated with IBS patients, especially in postinfectious IBS (PI-IBS) patients, but the etiology and pathogenesis of IBS still remains poorly understood. The aim of this paper was to explore the relationship between IBS and cellularimmunity abnormity, and the potential correlation between the change of serum trace elements and cellularimmunity abnormity by testing IBS patients' peripheral blood T lymphocyte subgroups and serum Zinc, Selenium, Ferrum, Copper levels, and to investigate it's pathogenesis.MethodsA total of 20 diarrhea IBS (D-IBS) patients and 20 control subjects participated in this study, and its peripheral blood samples were collected. The frequency of peripheral blood CD3, CD4, CD8 T lymphocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry. and the ratio of CD4/CD8 were calculated. Serum Zinc, Ferrum and Cuprum levels were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS), and Selenium level by Atomic Fluorometry. And these variables were analyzed by using Student's /-test.ResultsThe percentages of peripheral blood CD3, CD4, CD8 T lymphocytes and the ratio of CD4/CD8 in IBS group were 63.70±13.05%, 35.32±8.64%, 22.94±7.35% and 1.64±0.51, respectively;and the counterparts in control group were 75.01±11.00%> 46.85±9.55%, 24.00±4.81%> 2.02±0.55, respectively. In comparing with control group, the percentage of CD3 T lymphocyte and the ratio of CD4/CD8 in IBS group were declined significantly. The serum Zn, Se, Fe, Cu levels in IBS group were 9.260±1.160ug/ml, 0.149±0.04 lug/ml, 16.308±7.997ug/ml, 8.432±0.968ug/ml, respectively, and those of control group were 9.128±1.245ug/ml, 0.144±0.020ug/ml, 14.283±8.988ug/ml, 8.813±1.296ug/ml. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in serum Zn, Se, Fe, Cu levels between two groups.Conclusions1. No specific clinical feature was found in IBS patients, and food intolerance, history of GI trace infection and psychosocial stess were main inducement.2. Cellularimmunity abnormity can be observed in IBS patients charactered as the decline of peripheral blood CD4 T lymphocyte percentage and the ratio ofCD4/CD8. The cellularimmunity abnormity may play a certain role in the pathogenesis of IBS.3. No change was observed in serum Zn, Se, Fe, Cu levels of IBS patients in this study.