Increased IL-23 and IL-17 expression by peripheral blood cells of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis

• Published in: Cytokine (Philadelphia, Pa.) Pa.), 2013-10, Vol.64 (1), p.172-180
• Main Authors: Qian, Cheng, Jiang, Tingwang, Zhang, Weiwei, Ren, Chuanlu, Wang, Qianqian, Qin, Qin, Chen, Jie, Deng, Anmei, Zhong, Renqian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; autoimmune diseases; Biomarkers - blood; blood serum; correlation; cytokines; Female; gamma-Glutamyltransferase - metabolism; gene expression; hepatocytes; Humans; IL-17; IL-23; inflammation; Inflammation - metabolism; Interleukin-17 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-17 - blood; Interleukin-17 - genetics; Interleukin-23 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-23 - blood; Interleukin-23 - genetics; Interleukin-23 Subunit p19 - genetics; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; liver; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary - blood; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary - metabolism; Male; Middle Aged; mononuclear leukocytes; pathogenesis; patients; Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC); quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Receptors, Interleukin - biosynthesis; Receptors, Interleukin - genetics; Receptors, Interleukin - metabolism; Receptors, Interleukin-12 - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1043-4666; 1096-0023
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2013.07.005

•IL-23, IL-17 mRNA and their receptors mRNA altered in the PBC patients.•Increased serum IL-23 and IL-17 in PBC were correlated with clinical stages and GGT.•IL-23+cells and IL-17+cells accumulate in the livers of PBC patients.•IL-23 and IL-17 can serve as the indices for clinical monitoring of PBC. Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a typical autoimmune disease for which the pathogenesis remains unclear. IL-23 and IL-17 are pro-inflammatory cytokines of the “IL-23/IL-17 axis,” which may play a key role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In this study, we investigated the expression of IL-23 and IL-17 in the peripheral blood of patients with PBC and its clinical significance. We used quantitative PCR to determine mRNA expressions of IL-23, IL-23 receptor, and IL-17 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from PBC patients. ELISA’s were used to determine patients’ serum levels of IL-23 and IL-17. IL-23- and IL-17-producing cells in liver biopsis were also analyzed. Compared to a healthy control group, the mRNA expression levels of IL-23 p19, its corresponding receptor, IL-23R, and IL-17 in PBMC’s from PBC patients were significantly increased, and these levels were correlated with PBC disease stages. PBC patients’ serum levels of IL-23 and IL-17 were higher than those in a post-hepatic cirrhosis group and a healthy group, and were significantly higher in the early PBC disease stages than in the advanced PBC stages. There were significantly more IL23+ and IL-17+ mononuclear cells in portal areas of liver tissues in advanced stages of this disease than in the early stages. The serum levels of IL-23 and IL-17 in PBC patients were positively correlated with serum GGT levels. Thus, IL-23 and IL-17 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PBC by promoting inflammation. Because the IL-23 and IL-17 levels in the peripheral blood of PBC patients were increased and were correlated with clinical stages, they may be indices that could be used to clinically monitor PBC.