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Elevated Th17 cells accompanied by decreased regulatory T cells and cytokine environment in infants with biliary atresia

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Th17 and Treg cells in biliary atresia (BA) and to assess the liver cytokine environment in BA patients.

Methods

The percentages of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of BA patients and healthy controls (HC) were evaluated. The serum concentrations of IL-17a and IL-23 as well as Foxp3, IL-17a, ROR-γt, IL-6, IL-1β and TGF-β1 m-RNA and protein expressions in liver tissues and the number of Foxp3, IL-17a, ROR-γt, CD4 expressing cells which infiltrated the hepatic tissues were determined.

Results

The Th17/Treg cell ratio (P < 0.001) and blood concentrations of IL-17a and IL-23 (P < 0.05) were increased in the BA as compared to the HC group. Expressions of Foxp3, ROR-γt, IL-17a, IL-1β, IL-6 as well as TGF-β1 mRNA and proteins were significantly increased in BA as compared to HC livers (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). High levels of IL-17a/ROR-γt-positive and moderate levels of Foxp3-positive cells infiltrated damaged BA bile ducts and the ratio of FoxP3+ T to CD4+ T cells was significantly lower in BA than in HC samples (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Cytokine-induced imbalance between Th17 and Treg cells in BA livers may be involved in bile duct damage.

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Acknowledgments

This study received financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30973137).

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Ying Yang, Yong-jun Liu, Shao-tao Tang, Li Yang, Jun Yang, Guo-qing Cao, Jing-hui Zhang, Xin-xin Wang & Yong-zhong Mao

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  1. Ying Yang
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Correspondence to Shao-tao Tang.

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Yang, Y., Liu, Yj., Tang, St. et al. Elevated Th17 cells accompanied by decreased regulatory T cells and cytokine environment in infants with biliary atresia. Pediatr Surg Int 29, 1249–1260 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-013-3421-6

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