title: Interleukin-23A is associated with tumor growth in Helicobacter-pylori-related human gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interleukin (IL)-23 is one of the newly identified inflammatory cytokines, and inflammation is also known to be related to the development of gastric cancer (GC). The role of IL-23 in gastric cancer, however, is largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the expression and possible role of IL-23A in human GC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of IL-23A and IL-17A in human GC tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between IL-23A expression and clinical characteristics of GC was investigated. The serum concentration of IL-23A and IL-17A was also tested by ELISA. The source and role of IL-23A in GC were studied in vitro by Flowcytometry, MTS (Owen's reagent) assay and Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-23A, IL-23 receptor (IL-23R) and IL-17A were all overexpressed in human GC tissues, and the level of IL-23A was well correlated with IL-17A in GC tissues as well as in patient's serum. Macrophages and GC cells were the main source of IL-23A secretion upon stimulation of H. pylori lysate. Furthermore, we found that IL-23A promoted proliferation of GC cell lines via IL-17A/IL-17 receptor antagonist (IL-17RA) /nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high expression of IL-23A is associated with GC. IL-23A can promoted GC cells growth by inducing the secretion of IL-17A in tumor microenvironment. Our results suggest that the serum concentration of IL-23A is a good biomarker of poor clinical prognosis in GC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of clinical laboratory, Kunshan Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu China.
authors.forename: Changming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of clinical laboratory, Kunshan Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu China.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of clinical laboratory, Kunshan Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu China.
authors.forename: Qijun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Department of clinical laboratory, Kunshan Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu China.
authors.forename: Huiping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
keywords: Gastric cancer; Interleukin-17A; Interleukin-23A; Nuclear factor-κB