The Expression Of Treg/Th17Cells Related Transcription Factors And Cytokines In Pbmcs And Plasma In Patients With Allergic Rhinitis And The Effects Of Astragalus Membranaceus On Its

Objective: To investigate the changes of regulatory T cells and Th17cells related transcription factors (FOXP3、RORC) and cytokines(TGF-β、IL-17) in patients with allergic rhinitis. And to investigate the effectsof Astragalus membranaces on the expressions of Treg/Th17cells relatedtranscription factors(RORC、FOXP3) and cytokines(IL-10、IL-17) inpatients with allergic rhinitis.Methods:18patients with allergic rhinitis and12healthy controlsubjects were consecutively enrolled. Peripheral blood samples from allpatients and healthy control subjects (after prick test) were obtained. ThePBMCs are divided into two parts and plasmas were preserved in-20℃.The mRNA expressions of key transcription factors (RORC, Foxp3) weremeasured by RT-PCR in the first part PBMCs, and the concentrations ofTGF-β、IL-17in plasma were measured by ELISA. PBMCs in part twowere divided into group A(control group)、group L(low-dose Astragalus membranaceus group)、group M(meddle-dose Astragalus membranaceusgroup)、group H(high-dose Astragalus membranaceus group), and thenincubated in RPMI-1640at37℃for24hours. The concentrations ofinterleukin-17(IL-17) and IL-10in supernatant were measured byenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA),and the mRNA expressionsof RORC、FOXP3were detected by reverse transcription-polymerasechain reaction (RT-PCR)Result: Compared with healthy control subjects, the mRNAexpressions of Foxp3and the concentrations of TGF-β in plasma weresignificantly lower in patients with allergic rhinitis(P<0.01). The mRNAexpressions of RORC and the concentrations of IL-17in plasma increasedsignificantly in allergic rhinitis group compare with control group (P<0.01). However, the RORCmRNA,expressed in patients with allergicrhinitis group A, were elevated significantly compared with healthycontrol subjects group A, and tend to be the same with healthy controlsubjects after incubated with Astragalus membranaceus injection. On thecontrary, the FOXP3mRNA expressed in patients with allergic rhinitisgroup A were decreased comparing with healthy control subjects group A,and tend to be the same with healthy control subjects after stimulated byAstragalus membranaceus injection. IL-17in supernatant in patient withallergic rhinitis group A were elevated significantly comparing withhealthy control subjects group A. On the contrary, IL-10in supernatant in patient with allergic rhinitis group A were decreased significantlycomparing with healthy control subjects group A.Conclusion: The imbalance of Th17/Treg cells exist in allergicrhinitis patients, which may contribute to the proceed of allergic rhinitis.And Astragalus membranaceus injection can regulate the imbalance ofTh17/Treg cells related transcription factors (FOXP3、 RORC) andcytokines(IL-10、 IL-17) in patients with allergic rhinitis, but can’tsignificantly affect Th17/Treg cells related transcription factors (FOXP3、RORC) and cytokines(IL-10、IL-17) on control subjects...