title: Increased numbers of T helper 17 cells and the correlation with clinicopathological characteristics in multiple myeloma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  T helper 17 (Th17) cells play important roles in adaptive immunity and are involved in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, but little is known about their role in tumour immunity. The current study investigated the involvement of Th17 cells in multiple myeloma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Flow cytometry was used to investigate the frequencies of Th17 cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 30 patients with multiple myeloma and from 14 healthy control subjects. The concentrations of Th17-associated cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-17, IL-1β and IL-23)  were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significantly increased proportion of Th17 cells, and increased plasma concentrations of Th17-associated cytokines, in patients with multiple myeloma compared with healthy controls. There was a significant relationship  between the proportion of Th17 cells and clinical tumour stage, serum lactate dehydrogenase concentration and serum creatinine concentration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Th17 cells might be important therapeutic targets in multiple myeloma and could facilitate a better outcome for tumour immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, First Hospital of Zhuzhou City, Zhuzhou City, China.
authors.forename: C-J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Z-H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Y-X
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: G-Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007375:Interleukin-1; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D003404:Creatinine; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase