title: Serum Th17 cytokines in leprosy: correlation with circulating CD4(+) CD25 (high)FoxP3 (+) T-regs cells, as well as down regulatory cytokines.
abstract: Leprosy is not only a bacteriological disease but also an immunological disease, in which T helper17 and CD4(+) CD25(high)FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells (T-regs), among others, may play a role. We aimed to evaluate serum levels of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-22 (Th17 cytokines), IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β (down regulatory cytokines) in 43 untreated leprosy patients and 40 controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and to assess circulating CD4(+) CD25(high)FoxP3(+)T-regs in patients using flow cytometry. Patients were grouped into tuberculoid, pure neural, borderline, lepromatous, type 1 reactional leprosy, and erythema nodosum leprosum. IL-10 and TGF-β were significantly higher in patients as compared to controls (p < 0.001), while IL-17, but not IL-22, was significantly lower (p < 0.001), with no significant difference comparing patients' subgroups. Significantly higher CD4(+) CD25(high)FoxP3(+)T-regs levels was detected in tuberculoid, type 1 reaction and pure neural leprosy, while the lowest levels in erythema nodosum leprosum (p < 0.001). TregsFoxP3 expression% was significantly lower in pure neural leprosy than other patients' subgroups (p < 0.05). T-regs/T-effs was lowest in erythema nodosum leprosum (p < 0.05). TGF-β correlated negatively with TregsFoxP3 expression% and T-effs% (p = 0.009 and 0.018 respectively). Leprosy is associated with defective IL-17 and overproduction of IL-10 and TGF-β. Tuberculoid, type 1 reaction and pure neural leprosy express significantly higher circulating T-regs, consistent with effector immune mechanisms activation, but with lower TregsFoxP3 expression (in pure neural leprosy). Erythema nodosum leprosum is characterized by deficient T-regs and increased TregsFoxP3 expression%. The present study pinpointed a potential role of Th17, CD4(+) CD25(high)FoxP3(+)T-regs, and probably CD4(+) CD25(+)IL-10(+) T regulatory cells 1 (Tr1), and Th3 in leprosy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11381, Egypt, annosah1974@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: E A S
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdallah
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: El-Khateeb
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lotfi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdallah
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: El-Shennawy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000097:blood*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D007918:Leprosy / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D016753:Interleukin-10; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D007378:Interleukins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000097043:Interleukin-22; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; C508609:IL10 protein, human; C508017:IL2RA protein, human