title: Circulating T-helper 17 cells and associated cytokines in psoriasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, a new population of IL-17-producing CD4 T helper (Th) cells, named Th17, was identified and shown to be involved in various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of Th17 cells and related cytokines in peripheral blood of patients with psoriasis, and to analyse their association with disease severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective study comprising 34 patients with psoriasis and 24 healthy controls. Clinicoepidemiological details of patients were recorded, and severity of psoriasis was assessed by means of the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Circulating Th1 and Th17 cells in untreated patients with psoriasis and healthy controls were quantified by flow cytometry. In sera collected from patients with psoriasis and healthy controls, concentrations of IL-17A and IL-23 were examined by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased frequencies of CD4+ IL-17A+ T cells were seen in peripheral blood of patients with psoriasis vulgaris (P < 0.001). Although serum IL-17A and IL-23 concentrations were higher in patients with psoriasis than in controls, the results did not reach statistical significance. We could not find any correlation between the studied T cells or related cytokines and the disease severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased serum levels of circulating Th17 cells and related cytokines may contribute to the cutaneous pathology of psoriasis, as well as the inflammatory process that is a hallmark of psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chhabra
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Narang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goel
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sawatkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saikia
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India. sundogra@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dogra
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bansal
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Minz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018417:Th1 Cells; D058504:Th17 Cells; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; C508717:IL17A protein, human; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053759:Interleukin-23