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Increased Frequency of Circulating Th17 Cells in Acute-on-Chronic Hepatitis B Liver Failure

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Abstract

Background

T helper (Th) 17 cells participate in the pathogenesis of liver diseases but their exact role in acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure (ACHBLF) still remains obscure.

Aims

This present study was aimed to characterize the circulating Th17 cells and to analyze their association with disease progression in ACHBLF.

Methods

This retrospective study consisted of 40 ACHBLF patients, 40 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and 20 healthy controls. The frequency of peripheral Th17 cells and IL-17 mRNA level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were estimated by flow cytometry and relative quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

We found that the frequency of peripheral Th17 cells, as well as the level of IL-17 mRNA in PBMCs, was significantly increased in ACHBLF patients compared with CHB patients and healthy controls. In ACHBLF patients, the frequency of Th17 cells was positively correlated with serum total bilirubin (r = 0.392, P = 0.012) and model for end-stage liver disease scores (r = 0.383, P = 0.015), but negatively correlated with prothrombin activity (r = −0.317, P = 0.046). The same trend was observed as for relative expression of IL-17. Furthermore, the frequency of Th17 cells and IL-17 mRNA level were significantly elevated in non-survivors compared with survivors in ACHBLF patients.

Conclusions

These results suggested that Th17 cells as well as IL-17 might be related with disease severity and prognosis in ACHBLF patients.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Key Project of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (2008ZX10002-007), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2010HM070, ZR2010HQ040), the Independent Innovation Foundation of Shandong University (IIFSDU, 2010TS013), and the Foundation for Youth of Shandong Bureau of Public Health (2009QZ014).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hepatology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Wenhuaxi Road 107#, 250012, Jinan, China

    Li-Yuan Wang, Yu-Chen Fan, Jie Han, Zhao-Xia Qi & Kai Wang

  2. Department of Hepatology, Beijing You An Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100069, Beijing, China

    Qing-Hua Meng

  3. Department of Hepatology, Yantai Infectious Disease Hospital, 264001, Yantai, China

    Zhi-Qiang Zou & Ai-ling Xu

  4. Hepatology Institute of Shandong University, 250012, Jinan, China

    Yu-Chen Fan & Kai Wang

  5. Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, 250021, Jinan, China

    Jian Ge

  6. Department of Infectious Diseases, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, 252000, Liaocheng, China

    Si-Kui Wang

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  1. Li-Yuan Wang
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  2. Qing-Hua Meng
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  7. Jian Ge
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  9. Si-Kui Wang
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  10. Kai Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kai Wang.

Additional information

Li-yuan Wang, Qing-Hua Meng and Zhi-Qiang Zou contributed equally to this work and should be considered as co-first authors.

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Wang, LY., Meng, QH., Zou, ZQ. et al. Increased Frequency of Circulating Th17 Cells in Acute-on-Chronic Hepatitis B Liver Failure. Dig Dis Sci 57, 667–674 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-011-1930-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-011-1930-5

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