Peripheral Th17/Treg cell-mediated immunity imbalance in allergic rhinitis patients.
BACKGROUND
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an IgE-mediated non-infectious disease of the nasal mucosa following contact with allergens.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the peripheral Th17 cells and CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + regulatory T (Treg) cells and the expression of cytokines in the serum of AR patients.


METHODS
The peripheral blood of 14 patients with AR (AR group) and six healthy subjects (control group) was collected from March to May of 2012. Flow cytometry was performed to detect the Th17 cells and Treg cells, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure the serum levels of IL-17 and TGF-β1.


RESULTS
The proportion of Th17 cells in the AR group was markedly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.01). The proportion of Treg cells in the AR group was also dramatically reduced when compared with the control group (p < 0.01). In the AR group, serum IL-17 levels were markedly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.01). In the AR group, serum TGF-β1 levels were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The imbalance of peripheral Th17/Treg cells plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AR.
Departamento de Otorrinolaringologia, Third Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China.
Xuekun
X
Huang
Departamento de Otorrinolaringologia, Third Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China.
Yulian
Y
Chen
Laboratório Central, Third Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China.
Fucheng
F
Zhang
Departamento de Otorrinolaringologia, Third Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China.
Qintai
Q
Yang
Departamento de Otorrinolaringologia, Third Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China.
Gehua
G
Zhang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
D020381:Interleukin-17; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1