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Effects of High-Dose Dexamethasone on Regulating Interleukin-22 Production and Correcting Th1 and Th22 Polarization in Immune Thrombocytopenia

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Abstract

Background

T-cell dysregulation and T-cell-related cytokine abnormalities are involved in the pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). One of our previous studies showed that elevated IL-22 correlated to Th1 and Th22 cells plays an important role in the immunopathogenesis of ITP. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of high-dose dexamethasone (HD-DXM) on IL-22 production and on the IL-22-producing T-cell subsets in ITP patients.

Methods

IL-22 plasma levels and the percentages of Th1, Th17, and Th22 cells were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry in 25 ITP patients receiving DXM 40 mg/day for 4 consecutive days.

Results

Plasma IL-22 concentrations and the percentages of Th1 and Th22 cells were significantly increased in pre-therapy patients relative to controls (P < 0.05), but the percentage of Th17 cells was not. HD-DXM administration reduced IL-22 production and corrected the imbalance between Th1 and Th22 subsets. IL-22 levels were positively correlated with Th1 and Th22 cells in ITP patients before and after HD-DXM treatment.

Conclusion

These results suggest that HD-DXM may regulate the production of IL-22 in ITP, possibly by correcting Th1 and Th22 polarization.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the National Nature Science Foundation (30971281, 81070447, 81000210, and 81100349) and by the Scientific Foundation of Jiangsu Province Health Bureau (H201063).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, No. 99 West Huaihai Road, Xuzhou, 221002, China

    Jiang Cao, Chong Chen, Ling-yu Zeng, Zhen-yu Li, Zhi-ling Yan, Wei Chen, Hai Cheng, Wei Sang & Kai-lin Xu

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, No. 99 West Huaihai Road, Xuzhou, 221002, China

    Li Li

  3. Laboratory of Transplantation and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, China

    Kai-lin Xu

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  1. Jiang Cao
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  2. Chong Chen
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Correspondence to Kai-lin Xu.

Additional information

Jiang Cao and Chong Chen contributed equally to this work.

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Cao, J., Chen, C., Li, L. et al. Effects of High-Dose Dexamethasone on Regulating Interleukin-22 Production and Correcting Th1 and Th22 Polarization in Immune Thrombocytopenia. J Clin Immunol 32, 523–529 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-012-9649-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-012-9649-4

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