title: The changes in the levels of IL-6, IL-17, and IL-21 in the acute stage of childhood asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma is the most common disease in children, and its pathogenesis is highly complicated.
  
  
  METHODS
  CD4+ cells and CD4+ IL-17+ cells were analysed by flow cytometry, and the ratio of CD4+ cells to the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and CD4+ IL-17+ cells to PMBCs were calculated from the control group, acute group, and moderate group. The levels of protein expression of IL-6, IL-17, and IL-21 were detected by ELISA in the plasma and culture supernatants of PBMCs of the three groups. The correlations between IL-7 and IL-6, IL-7 and IL-21 were analysed in culture supernatants of PBMCs of the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ratio of CD4+ IL-17+ cells/peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was 4.32% in the acute group, which was higher than in the control group and moderate group. The levels of IL-6 and IL-17 were elevated, and the levels of IL-21 were decreased in the acute group. The levels of IL-17 and IL-6 were positively correlated (r = 0.182, p = 0.03), and the levels of IL-17 and IL-21 were negatively correlated (r = -0.834, p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the levels of IL-17 and IL-6 are related to the severity of asthma. Furthermore, IL-17 may play a role in the development of childhood asthma.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pediatrics, the General Hospital of Chengdu Military Region, Chengdu, China 610083.
authors.forename: Xue Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: The Third Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Hospital of Beihua University, Jilin, China, 132013.
authors.forename: Wen Ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pediatrics, the General Hospital of Chengdu Military Region, Chengdu, China 610083.
authors.forename: Hong Bo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pediatrics, the General Hospital of Chengdu Military Region, Chengdu, China 610083.
authors.forename: Wen Bin
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pediatrics, the General Hospital of Chengdu Military Region, Chengdu, China 610083.
authors.forename: Tai Sen
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pediatrics, the General Hospital of Chengdu Military Region, Chengdu, China 610083.
authors.forename: Hua Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D000098546:Interleukin-21