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Imbalance in the Th17/Treg and cytokine environment in peripheral blood of patients with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma

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Abstract

It has been reported that the imbalance of T helper IL-17-producing cells (Th17 cells)/regulatory T cells (Tregs) was closely associated with advanced tumor growth and poor prognosis in lung cancer, but little is known about whether this imbalance is existed in the peripheral blood of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, the percentage of Treg and Th17 cells, and the expression of transcription factors RORγt and FoxP3 were studied by flow cytometry, real-time PCR, and Western blotting, respectively. Levels of serum cytokines (IL-6, IL-17, IL-10, and TGF-β1) were analyzed by ELISA. The results showed that there was an increase in the percentage of Tregs, the mRNA and protein expression of FoxP3, the level of Treg-related cytokines in patients with NSCLC while compared to that in healthy patients. Moreover, the percentage of Th17 cells, RORγt mRNA, and protein expression were decreased in peripheral blood of NSCLC patients. In addition, Th17/Treg ratio was decreased in lung cancer patients when compared with healthy patients and Th17/Treg ratio was negatively correlated with the stages. Our results indicate that the Th17/Treg balance is abnormal in peripheral blood, which may be important in the development of NSCLC.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Department of Haematology Laboratory, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. The present study was supported by National Science Foundation of China (NO.81170030) and National Education Ministry of China (NO.20113420110006) and Annual Research Project of Anhui Province (NO.10021303028).

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of the interest to disclose, and have not any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence their work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pulmonary, Anhui Geriatric Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Lei Zhao & Rong-Yu Liu

  2. Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Lei Zhao & Jin Yang

  3. Department of Haematology Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Hui-Ping Wang

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  1. Lei Zhao
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  2. Jin Yang
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Correspondence to Rong-Yu Liu.

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Zhao, L., Yang, J., Wang, HP. et al. Imbalance in the Th17/Treg and cytokine environment in peripheral blood of patients with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Med Oncol 30, 461 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-013-0461-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-013-0461-7

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