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Increased Th17 cell frequency concomitant with decreased Foxp3+ Treg cell frequency in the peripheral circulation of patients with carotid artery plaques

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Abstract

Objective and design

We investigated a possible imbalance between T helper (Th)17 and CD4+ CD25+ forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (Foxp3) T regulatory (Treg) cells in patients with carotid artery plaques.

Material or subjects

From November 2009 to September 2010, we enrolled 126 males and 104 females with mean age 68.24 ± 6.71 years.

Treatment

Based on carotid artery sonography, the 230 subjects were categorized into three groups: plaque negative; stable plaques; and unstable plaques.

Methods

Th17 and Treg cell frequencies, relevant plasma cytokines (IL-17, IL-6, IL-23, and TNF-α), and RORγt mRNA levels were determined.

Results

Compared to plaque negative, Th17 cells, Th17-related cytokines (IL-17, IL-6, IL-23, and TNF-α), and RORγt mRNA levels were higher with stable plaques, and highest with unstable plaques. The opposite trend was found for Treg cells, Treg-related cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β1), and Foxp3 mRNA. Th17 cell frequencies were significantly negatively correlated with Treg cell frequencies.

Conclusions

Our investigation demonstrated that there is a Th17/Treg functional imbalance in patients with unstable carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Th17 cells may promote atherogenesis, while Treg cells may have a protective role against atherosclerosis plaques. An imbalance of Th17/Treg cells may offer a new direction for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China (No. ZR2009CL029 and NO. ZR2011HQ053), and by the Shandong Science and Technology Development Program, China (No. 2011GSF11822).

Conflict of interest

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China

    Zhen-dong Liu & Lin Wang

  2. Cardio-Cerebrovascular Control and Research Center, Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, Shandong, China

    Zhen-dong Liu, Fang-hong Lu, Hui Pan, Ying-xin Zhao, Shu-jian Wang, Shang-wen Sun, Cui-ling Li & Xiao-liang Hu

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  1. Zhen-dong Liu
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Correspondence to Lin Wang.

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Liu, Zd., Wang, L., Lu, Fh. et al. Increased Th17 cell frequency concomitant with decreased Foxp3+ Treg cell frequency in the peripheral circulation of patients with carotid artery plaques. Inflamm. Res. 61, 1155–1165 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-012-0510-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-012-0510-2

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