title: Elevated levels of Th17 cells and Th17-related cytokines are associated with disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interleukin-17(IL-17)-producing T helper(Th)17 cells are considered as a new subset of cells critical to the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to investigate the distribution of Th17 cells, the expressions of Th17-related cytokines (IL-17, IL-21 and IL-22) and their association with disease activity in IBD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected intestinal tissue biopsies from 40 patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC), 20 patients with active Crohn's disease (CD) and 20 healthy controls. The distribution of Th17 cells and expressions of Th17-related cytokines in colonic tissues were evaluated by a standard immunohistochemical procedure. Serum IL-17, IL-21 and IL-22 levels were determined by ELISA. Pearson's and Spearman's correlation analyses were performed to analyze the correlation between the number of Th17 cells, the expressions of Th17-related cytokines and disease activity index, endoscopic and histological grading, and CRP and PLT levels, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with healthy controls, the number of Th17 cells and the expressions of IL-17, IL-21 and IL-22 were significantly increased in active IBD patients (P < 0.05). In addition, Pearson's and Spearman's correlation analyses showed that the number of Th17 cells and the expressions of Th17-related cytokines were correlated with disease activity index, endoscopic and histological grading, CRP and PLT levels (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Th17 cells and Th17-related cytokines (IL-17, IL-21 and IL-22) were increased in the intestinal mucosa in active IBD patients and may play an important role in disease activity and mucosal damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
authors.forename: Wenyu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jiewen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiuqin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ruihua
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Hongjie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D003106:Colon / Q000276:immunology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult; D000097043:Interleukin-22; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17; D007378:Interleukins; D000097043:Interleukin-22; D000098546:Interleukin-21