title: Effects of high-dose dexamethasone on regulating interleukin-22 production and correcting Th1 and Th22 polarization in immune thrombocytopenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  T-cell dysregulation and T-cell-related cytokine abnormalities are involved in the pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). One of our previous studies showed that elevated IL-22 correlated to Th1 and Th22 cells plays an important role in the immunopathogenesis of ITP. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of high-dose dexamethasone(HD-DXM) on IL-22 production and on the IL-22-producing T-cell subsets in ITP patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  IL-22 plasma levels and the percentages of Th1, Th17, and Th22 cells were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry in 25 ITP patients receiving DXM 40 mg/day for 4 consecutive days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma IL-22 concentrations and the percentages of Th1 and Th22 cells were significantly increased in pretherapy patients relative to controls (P<0.05), but the percentage of Th17 cells was not. HD-DXM administration reduced IL-22 production and corrected the imbalance between Th1 and Th22 subsets. IL-22 levels were positively correlated with Th1 and Th22 cells in ITP patients before and after HD-DXM treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that HD-DXM may regulate the production of IL-22 in ITP, possibly by correcting Th1 and Th22 polarization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, No. 99 West Huaihai Road, Xuzhou 221002, China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ling-yu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhen-yu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhi-ling
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hai
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sang
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kai-lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone; D007378:Interleukins; D000097043:Interleukin-22