title: The Dynamics of Treg/Th17 and the Imbalance of Treg/Th17 in Clonorchis sinensis-Infected Mice.
abstract: Clonorchiasis, caused by the liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis, is a chronic parasitic infection regulated by T cell subsets. An imbalance of CD4+CD25+ Foxp3+regulatory T (Treg) and interleukin (IL)-17-secreting T cells (Th17) may control inflammation and play an important role in the pathogenesis of immune evasion. In the present study, we assessed the dynamics of Treg/Th17 and determined whether the Treg/Th17 ratio is altered in C. sinensis-infected mice. The results showed that the percentages of splenic Treg cells in CD4+ T cells were suppressed on day 14 post-infection (PI) but increased on day 56 PI, while Th17 cells were increased on day 56 PI compared with normal control (NC) mice. The Treg/Th17 ratio steadily increased from day 28 to day 56 PI. The hepatic levels of their specific transcription factors (Foxp3 for Treg and RORγt for Th17) were increased in C. sinensis-infected mice from day 14 to 56 PI, and significantly higher than those in NC mice. Meanwhile, serum levels of IL-2 and IL-17 were profoundly increased in C. sinensis-infected mice throughout the experiment; while the concentrations of IL-6 and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) peaked on day 14 PI, but then decreased on day 28 and 56 PI. Our results provide the first evidence of an increased Treg/Th17 ratio in C. sinensis-infected mice, suggesting that a Treg/Th17 imbalance may play a role in disease outcomes of clonorchiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Bei-Bei
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Ye
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Ren-Xian
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Kui-Yang
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003003:Clonorchiasis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D003004:Clonorchis sinensis / Q000276:immunology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; D003094:Collagen