| ObjectiveCD4+T helper lymphocytes play a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune disease via the production of distinctive sets of cytokine. Th17-a new CD4+T cells subset are characterized by the synthesis of IL-17that is a powerful proinflammation cytokine. IL-17activates NF-kB or MAPK, stimulates the production of several inflammatory mediators including IL-6, IL-lb, and TNF-a, recruites inflammatory cells and mediates immune injury. Recently, a lot of investigations has demenstrated that IL-17is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory conditions, including asthma,rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. This changed the undstanding of pathogenesis of autoimmune disease. And the research using theraputic nuetralization of IL-17(AIN457) in rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and psoriasis has entered the phase II of clinical trial and brings new hope for better treatment o f autoimmune disease. So, the research about Th17-IL-17has become a focus in the medical and immunological field.So far the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is still not quite sure. Whether Th17-IL-17participates in the occurrence and development has been concerned. Studies show IL-6stimulates differentiation of Thl7cells and secretion of IL-17through the positive feedback, activating the acute inflammatory reaction. It is not clear that the mutual effect and correlation between IL-17and IL-6in the progression of AITD. Therefore, the aim of our study is to explore the status of IL-17in patients with AITD and the correlation between IL-17and IL-6in the progression of AITD.MethodTest one:fourty-seven AITD patients (19with HT and28with GD) and sixteen-matched healthy subjects were included in the study. Twenty of the Twenty-eight GD patients and ten of nineteen HT patients were new patients without drug treeatment. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from all people in the study.Through Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) method to examine the expression of IL-17mRNA, IL-6mRNA in the peripheral blood leukocytes.Test two:We assessed the serum levels of IL-17and IL-6in the peripheral blood of twenty new patients with Graves’disease, and ten new patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) as well as sixteent healthy controls by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELASA) method.Results1.Expresssion of IL-17and IL-6in the patients with GDRT-PCR showed that the average expressions of IL-17mRNA were (8.88±2.17)×10-3,(2.07±0.52)×10-3and (3.35±1.01)×10-3respectively in new patients, patients in remission and normal conrtols; the expression of IL-17mRNA in new patients were significantly higher compared with patients in remissson or normal controls(p<0.05). ELASA showed that the average concentrations of IL-17were9.75±0.61(pg/ml) and6.21±0.60(pg/ml) respectively in new patients and normal controls; the expression of IL-17in new patients were significantly higher compared with normal controls(p<0.05).RT-PCR showed that the average expressions of IL-6mRNA were (14.72±0.91)×10-3,(4.01±1.31)×10-3and (6.36±1.74)×10-3respectively in new patients, patients in remission and normal conrtols; the expression of IL-6mRNA in new patients were significantly higher compared with patients in remissson or normal controls(p<0.05). ELASA showed that the average concentrations of IL-6were49.78±6.12(pg/ml) and20.23±3.01(pg/ml) respectively in new patients and normal controls; the expression of IL-6in new patients were significantly higher compared with normal controls(p<0.05).There were not positive correlations between the expression of IL-17mRNA and IL-6mRNA, nor the serum concentrations of IL-17and IL-6. There were positive correlations between the concentrations of serum IL-17and FT3(r=0.56, P<0.01), as well as IL-6and FT3(r=0.30, P<0.01).2.Expresssion of IL-17and IL-6in the patients with HTRT-PCR showed that the average expressions of IL-17mRNA were (9.98±2.41)×10-33.03±0.52)×10-3and (3.35±1.01)×10-3respectively in new patients, patients in remission and normal conrtols; the expression of IL-17mRNA in new patients were significantly higher compared with patients in remissson or normal controls(p<0.05). ELASA showed that the average concentrations of IL-17were11.41±0.64(pg/ml) and6.21±0.60(pg/ml) respectively in new patients and normal controls; the expression of IL-17in new patients were significantly higher compared with normal controls(p<0.05). RT-PCR showed that the average expressions of IL-6mRNA were (1.93±0.38)×10-3,(1.05±0.07)×10-3and (6.36±1.74)×10-3respectively in new patients, patients in remission and normal conrtols; the expression of IL-6mRNA in new patients or patients in remissson were significantly lower compared with normal controls(p<0.05). ELASA showed that the average concentrations of IL-6were19.02±3.12(pg/ml) and20.23±3.01(pg/ml) respectively in new patients and normal controls; there was not significant difference in the expression of IL-6between new patients and normal controls.There were not positive correlations between the expression of IL-17mRNA and IL-6mRNA, nor the serum concentrations of IL-17and IL-6.ConclusionWe found enhanced levels of IL-17mRNA and IL-17in the peripheral blood from new patients with GD and HT compared with normal controls. In addition, a stronger expression of IL-6mRNA was detected in new patients with GD compared with other AITD patients or normal controls. There were positive correlations between the concentrations of serum IL-17and FT3, as well as IL-6and FT3. Our results indicate that IL-17and IL-6may participate in the immune pathological process of thyroid autoimmunity.There were not positive correlations between the expression of IL-17mRNA and IL-6mRNA, nor the serum concentrations of IL-17and IL-6. The pathogenesis of AITD is extremely complicated invloved a mass of inflammatory cytokines, and there are other regulative way influencing the expression of IL-17and IL-6. |
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