title: Detection and significance of TregFoxP3(+) and Th17 cells in peripheral blood of non-small cell lung cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between TregFoxP3(+) cells and Th17 cells and occurrence of lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The proportions of TregFoxP3(+) and Th17 cells, the expression of FoxP3 and RORγt mRNA, and the levels of related cell factors such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), interleukin IL-17 (IL-17) and IL-23 were determined respectively by flow cytometry analysis, real-time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and ELISA in peripheral blood of 18 healthy people and 26 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of TregFoxP3(+) and Th17, expression of FoxP3 and RORγt mRNA, and ratios of TregFoxP3(+)/Th17 and FoxP3/RORγt in peripheral blood with NSCLC were higher than those in healthy controls (p < 0.05). The proportion of Th17 cells from NSCLC patients was positively correlated with that of TregFoxP3(+) (r = 0.81, p < 0.05). The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve demonstrates that the increased level of TregFoxP3(+)/Th17 in the peripheral blood may be a useful indicator in early diagnosis of non-small cell lung carcinoma. The TregFoxP3(+)/Th17 and FoxP3/RORγt levels for patients in stage IV were higher than those of patients in stages I, II, and III (p < 0.05). The levels of TGF-β, IL-17, and IL-23 were higher in NSCLC patients than those in healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that ratios of Treg/Th17 correlate with the stage of NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Sha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Proteomics of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
keywords: RORγt; Th17; TregFoxP3+; carcinoma; non-small cell lung