Expressions Of Th17/Th22 And Their Cytokines In Peripheral Blood Of Patients With Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Objective: To investigate the change of Th17, Th22 and their cytokines in peripheral blood of the patients with primary biliary cirrhosis(PBC),analyze their correlation with the liver function,evaluate their significance of pathogenesis, progress,prognosis and treatment in primary biliary cirrhosis.Method: Plasma levels of IL-17 and IL-22 were measured in 36 ptients with PBC and 14 healthy controls by ELISA. We compared the content of them. Also, we examined liver function indicators and analyzed the correlation between IL-17 and IL-22 and liver function serum biochemical parameters. The proportion of Th17 and Th22 cells in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were assessed by Flow Cytometric analysis, and we analyzed the correlation between Th17 and Th22 cells and liver function serum biochemical parameters.Results: Plasma levels of IL-17 and IL-22 in patients with PBC were higher than healthy controls(HC)(P<0.05). The plasma levels of IL-17 in PBC group were positively correlated with GGT and AKP levels(r=0.874, 0.873, P=0.010, 0.010). The plasma levels of IL-22 in PBC group were positively correlated with GGT and AKP levels(r=0.729, 0.759, P=0.010, 0.010). Moreover, The percentages of Th17 and Th22 cells in PBC group were both higher than the healthy controls(P<0.05). The percentages of Th17 cells in PBC group were positively correlated with GGT and AKP levels(r=0.839, 0.581, P=0.010, 0.010). The percentages of Th22 cells in PBC group were positively correlated with GGT and AKP levels(r=0.578, 0.338, P=0.010, 0.050).Conclusion: Abnormal expressions of Th17 and Th22 cells participate in PBC.The percentages of Th17 and Th22 cells were well correlative to liver function indicators, to a certain extent, reflected the immune liver inflammation degree.