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Expression of IL-27, Th1 and Th17 in Patients with Aplastic Anemia

Journal of Clinical Immunology volume 33, pages 436–445 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Aplastic anemia (AA) is an autoimmune disease and interleukin-27 (IL-27) is an important cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. To date there have been no reports concerning the intrinsic association among IL-27 and Thelper (Th) 1 and Th17 cells in AA.

Materials and Methods

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assay IL-27, interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and IL-17 levels, flow cytometry to measure the percentages of Th1 and Th17 cells among peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the mRNA levels of IL-27, IFN-γ, T-bet and IL-17 and retinoid related orphan receptor gamma (RORγt) in PBMCs were performed. In addition, the effect of exogenous rhIL-27 on the differentiation of T cells into Th1 and Th17 cells was investigated in vitro.

Results

Plasma and mRNA levels of IL-27 in PBMCs from AA patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. A positive correlation was found between plasma levels of IL27 and IFN-γ. The proportions of Th1 and Th17 cells accompanied by the mRNA expression of RORγt and T-bet were significantly higher in AA patients than in healthy controls. Plasma levels of IL-27 correlated positively with frequencies of Th1 cells in AA patients. Exogenous rhIL-27 could significantly upregulate the frequency of Th1 cells and the mRNA levels of T-bet and IFN-γ and the application of rhIL-27 in vitro could inhibit the expression of RORγt mRNA.

Conclusion

The upregulation of IL-27 might cause Th1 differentiation and immune disorders in AA patients. Blocking the expression of IL-27 could therefore be a reasonable therapeutic strategy for AA.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partially supported by research funding from the National Natural Science Foundation (81170515 and 81070407), the Shandong Technological Development Project (Y2008C121) and the fund for the promotion of research for excellent young and middle-aged scientists of Shandong Province (2007BS03049).

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Affiliations

  1. Laiwu Central Hospital of Xinwen Mining Industry Group, Laiwu, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Hui-zhen Du & Shao-chun Wei

  2. Department of Clinical Laboratory, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People’s Republic of China

    Qian Wang, Jian Ji & Juan Ding

  3. Central Hospital of Xinwen Mining Industry Group, Tai’an, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Bao-ming Shen

  4. Laiwu People’s Hospital, Laiwu, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Li-juan Liu

  5. Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China

    Dao-xin Ma, Wen Wang, Jun Peng & Ming Hou

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  1. Hui-zhen Du
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Correspondence to Qian Wang.

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Du, Hz., Wang, Q., Ji, J. et al. Expression of IL-27, Th1 and Th17 in Patients with Aplastic Anemia. J Clin Immunol 33, 436–445 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-012-9810-0

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Keywords

  • Aplastic anemia
  • T helper 17
  • T helper 1
  • interleukin-27
  • retinoid-related orphan receptor gamma