Changes in the balance between Treg and Th17 cells in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of Treg cells, Th17 cells and cytokines associated with Treg/Th17 differentiation in the occurrence, development and outcome of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). To do so, we detected populations of Treg and Th17 cells and their associated cytokines in the peripheral blood of CHB patients. The populations of Treg cells (CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(low) T cells) and Th17 cells (CD3(+)CD8(-)IL-17(+) T cells) were analyzed in 46 patients with low to moderate chronic hepatitis B (CHB-LM), 24 patients with severe chronic hepatitis B (CHB-S) and 20 healthy controls (HC) using flow cytometry. The levels of cytokines associated with Treg/Th17 differentiation, including IL-10, TGF-β1, IL-17 and IL-23, were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our study showed that the imbalance of Treg and Th17 cells might play an important role in the occurrence, development and outcome of CHB.

Keywords: ALT; AST; Alanine aminotransferase; Aspartate aminotransferase; CHB; CHB-LM; CHB-S; Chronic hepatitis B; DBil; DC; Dendritic cells; Direct bilirubin; ETV; Entecavir; G-CSF; Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; HAV; HBV; HBeAg; HBsAg; HC; HCV; HDV; Healthy controls; Hepatitis A virus; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B e Antigen; Hepatitis B surface; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatitis D virus; ICAM-1; IL-10; IL-17; Intercellular adhesion molecule-1; Interleukin-17; Ion; Ionomycin; Low to moderate chronic hepatitis B; Mon; Monensin; NF-kappa B; NK; Natural killer; Nuclear factor kappa B; PBMCs; PD-1; PMA; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate; Procedural death factor-1; Severe chronic hepatitis B; T; T helper 17; TBil; TGF-β1; Th17; Th17 cells; Total bilirubin; Transforming growth factor-β1; Treg; Treg cells.