The Interplay between Zinc, Vitamin D and, IL-17 in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Liver Disease.
OBJECTIVE
To assess zinc (Zn) and vitamin D (Vit. D) status in chronic Hepatitis C virus- (HCV) infected patients and their relationship to interleukin- (IL-) 17 and disease severity and then investigate whether Zn and Vit. D3 modulate IL-17 expression in chronic HCV patients.


METHODS
Seventy patients and fifty healthy subjects were investigated. Serum levels of Zn, Vit. D, and IL-17 were assessed in the patients group and subgroups. Patients lymphocytes were activated in vitro in the presence or absence of Zn or Vit. D3 and then intracellular IL-17 production was assessed using flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Zn and Vit. D were significantly decreased in HCV patients. Increasing disease severity leads to more reduction in Zn level opposed by increasing IL-17 level. Zn potently reduced IL-17 production in a dose-related fashion; however it did not exert any toxic effects. Although Vit. D apparently increases IL17 expression, it is unclear whether it is due to its toxic effect on cell count or lack of definite association between Vit. D and both IL-17 and disease severity.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that Zn modulates IL-17 expression and provides a rationale for evaluating this compound as a supplementary agent in the treatment of chronic HCV.
Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia Square, P.O. Box 11566, Cairo, Egypt.
Randa
R
Reda
Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia Square, P.O. Box 11566, Cairo, Egypt.
Amal A
AA
Abbas
Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia Square, P.O. Box 11566, Cairo, Egypt.
Mai
M
Mohammed
Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia Square, P.O. Box 11566, Cairo, Egypt.
Shahira F
SF
El Fedawy
Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia Square, P.O. Box 11566, Cairo, Egypt.
Hala
H
Ghareeb
Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia Square, P.O. Box 11566, Cairo, Egypt.
Rania H
RH
El Kabarity
Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia Square, P.O. Box 11566, Cairo, Egypt.
Rania A
RA
Abo-Shady
Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbassia Square, P.O. Box 11566, Cairo, Egypt.
Doaa
D
Zakaria
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D020381:Interleukin-17; D014807:Vitamin D; D015032:Zinc