title: Increased percentages of T cells producing interleukin-21 in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura.
abstract: Interleukin (IL)-21, a cytokine which promotes differentiation of Th17, follicular helper T cell and B cells, may play an important role in controlling the autoimmune process in immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), an acquired organ-specific autoimmune hemorrhagic disease. The frequencies of IL-21-producing T cells and serum levels of IL-21 were determined by flow cytometry analysis and ELISA, respectively, in 24 ITP patients and nine healthy controls. RT-PCR showed that the frequencies of circulating IL-21-producing T cells and serum levels of IL-21 were significantly higher in ITP patients than that in healthy controls. Serum IL-21 and IL-21 expression in patients with ITP significantly decreased after therapy, suggesting IL-21 might be important in ITP.
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu University of Agriculture, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China; Department of Hematology, Lanzhou General Hospital, Lanzhou Command, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors: Qian
authors: Q
authors: Zhang
authors: Hai
authors: H
authors: Bai
authors: Wenhui
authors: W
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000098546:Interleukin-21
keywords: T helper cell; immune thrombocytopenic purpura; interleukin-21