Increased circulating Th22 cells correlated with Th17 cells in patients with severe preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to investigate Th22 cells and their association with Th17 and Treg cells in the etiology of severe preeclampsia (sPE).


METHODS
Thirty sPE patients and 30 healthy pregnant women were recruited in this study. The percentages of Th17, Th22, and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the peripheral blood were measured by flow cytometry. ELISA was used to measure the plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-22, and IL-10.


RESULTS
The percentages of Th17 and Th22 cells and the plasma concentrations of IL-17 and IL-22 were significantly increased in sPE patients along with a decreased percentage of Treg cells and a decreased plasma IL-10 concentration. There was a positive correlation between the levels of Th22 cells and Th17 cells in sPE patients. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between plasma IL-22 concentration and the percentage of Th22 cells in sPE patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased circulating Th22 cells, which were correlated with Th17 cells, were observed in patients with sPE. The immune imbalance between T helper (Th) cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of sPE.
a Department of Clinical Laboratory , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China.|b Shangqiu Medical College , Shangqiu , China.
Zhan
Z
Zhang
a Department of Clinical Laboratory , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China.
Hui
H
Liu
a Department of Clinical Laboratory , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China.
Ying
Y
Shi
a Department of Clinical Laboratory , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China.
Na
N
Xu
c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China.
Yuanyuan
Y
Wang
a Department of Clinical Laboratory , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China.
Aiping
A
Li
c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou , China.
Wanyu
W
Song
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000502:physiology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000502:physiology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult; D000097043:Interleukin-22
D020381:Interleukin-17; D007378:Interleukins; D000097043:Interleukin-22
Severe preeclampsia; Th17 cells; Th22 cells; Treg cells