[Detection and significance of transcription factors and cytokines of Th17/Treg cells in peripheral blood in the gastric cancer patients].
OBJECTIVE
To detect the expression levels of transcription factors and associated cytokines of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with gastric cancer, and explore the possible pathological mechanism of these cells involved in the development of gastric cancer.


METHODS
The mRNA levels of RORgammat, FoxP3 in PBMC were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) from 57 patients with gastric cancer, 31 patients with benign gastric illness and 40 healthy people. The concentration of IL-17, IL-23, TGF-beta, IL-10 in plasma were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
Compared with healthy volunteers, patients with gastric cancer showed higher levels of RORgammat and FoxP3 in PBMC (P < 0.05). The ratio of FoxP3/RORgammat in gastric cancer group was higher than that in the volunteer group and benign gastric illness group (P < 0.05). The ratio of FoxP3/RORgammat was higher in advanced disease than early disease (P < 0.05). The expressions of IL-17, IL-23, TGF-beta and IL-10 were higher in patients with gastric cancer than that in healthy volunteers (P < 0.05). In addition, The expression of TGF-beta and IL-10 were significantly increased in the advanced disease group than that in the early group (P < 0.05), but IL-17 and IL-23 was not significantly changed between the two groups (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
There are higher levels of Th17 and Treg cells in gastric cancer patients, and it also shows a persistent predominant tendency of Treg cells and a reduced tendency of Th17 cells in advanced disease. Detecting the expression of Th17/Treg transcription factor and related cytokines would contribute to the diagnosis and prediction of the disease development and prognosis.
Peng
Su-fang
SF
Department of Immunology, Institute of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
Wang
Sheng-jun
SJ
Chen
Jian-guo
JG
Dai
Xiao-li
XL
Shi
Yan
Y
Li
Ya-zhen
YZ
Su
Zhao-liang
ZL
Xue
Yuan
Y
He
Zhi-qiang
ZQ
Huang
Xin-xiang
XX
Xu
Hua-xi
HX
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C508609:IL10 protein, human; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053759:Interleukin-23; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016753:Interleukin-10