title: [Effect of Qiling Decoction combined HAART on expression levels of Treg cells and Th17 in HIV/AIDS patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of Qiling Decoction (QD) combined highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) on expression levels of peripheral blood Th17 and Treg cells in HIV/AIDS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 55 HIV/AIDS patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (28 cases) and the combination group (27 cases). Besides, 21 HIV negative patients were recruited as the healthy control group. Those in the treatment group received HARRT alone, while those in the combination group received HAART combined QD. The observation lasted for 24 weeks. Meanwhile, according to peripheral blood CD4+ T cell counts before treatment, HIV/AIDS patients were assigned to three subgroups. For patients in subgroup 1, 1 cells/microL < CD4+ T cell counts < or = 100 cells/microL; For patients in subgroup 2, 101 cells/microL < CD4+ T cell counts < or = 200 cells/lL; For patients in subgroup 3, 201 cells/microL < CD4+ T cell counts < or = 350 cells/microL. Expression of peripheral blood Th17 and Treg cells, and number of CD4+ T cell counts were detected using flow cytometry (FCM)in HIV/AIDS patients at the pre-treatment baseline, week 4, 12, and 24, as well as those in the healthy control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the healthy control group, CD4+ T cell counts and the baseline expression level of Th17 cells in the peripheral blood of HIV/AIDS patients significantly decreased, the expression level of Treg cells significantly increased P < 0.01). Compared with before treatment in the same group, CD4+ T cell counts all increased at week 4, 12, and 24 in the two treatment groups, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in the effective rate at various CD4+ T cell levels between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in expression levels of Th17 and Treg cells between the combination group and the treatment group at any time point (all P >0.05). The Th17/Treg ration significantly increased in the combination group after 24 weeks of treatment, showing statistical difference when compared with the treatment group (U = 2.135, P = 0.038).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QD could improve the immune balance of Th17/Treg cells, which might be one of its mechanisms for improving HIV/AIDS patients' immunity.
authors.forename: Wen-Fang
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Guo-Shao
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Jian-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Shao-Bo
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Xue-Fang
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qiu-Qiong
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal