IL-17 producing T cells correlate with polysensitization but not with bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with allergic rhinitis

Clinical and Translational Allergy

Tcvetan H Lukanov¹  Angelika S Velkova³  Regina Komsa-Penkova²  Svetla P Gecheva¹  Vanya M Tsvetkova-Vicheva¹ 

[1] Department of Clinical Laboratory, Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Medical University of Pleven, Pleven, Bulgaria;Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University of Pleven, Pleven, Bulgaria;Department of Social and preventive medicine, Medical statistics, Pedagogy and psychology, Medical University of Pleven, Pleven, Bulgaria

关键词: Bronchial hyperresponsiveness;    Atopy;    Allergic rhinitis;    IL-4, IL-13;    Th17;    IL-17;   

Others  :  794068
DOI  :  10.1186/2045-7022-4-3

 received in 2013-08-24, accepted in 2014-01-05,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Th2-type T cell response has a considerable role in atopic diseases. The involvement of Th17 and IL-17 in atopy process provided new understanding of allergic diseases. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness is quite common in allergic rhinitis. We aimed to explore the expression of IL-17 producing CD3⁺ CD4⁺ T cells in peripheral blood of rhinitic patients, with/without bronchial hyperresponsiveness and sensitized to common allergens, as this relationship has not been examined.

Methods

Sixty one patients with allergic rhinitis and thirty controls were examined. IL-17 producing T cells were detected by flow cytometry, IL-17, IL-4 and IL-13 levels in peripheral blood were evaluated by ELISA. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness was investigated with methacholine challenge test. Atopy was evaluated by skin prick tests with common allergens.

Results

IL-17 producing T cell percentage of AR group was significantly higher: 2.59 ± 1.32 than in controls 1.24 ± 0.22, (p = 0.001). Significant sex related difference in CD3⁺ CD4⁺ IL-17 T cells was observed: respectively in male patients versus female 3.15 ± 1.8% and 2.31 ± 0.9%, (p = 0.02). Rhinitics had greater bronchodilator responses compared to controls (p = 0.001), however the percentages of T cells in both groups appeared equal. Serum IL-17 levels in AR group were significantly higher (5.10 ± 4.40) pg/ml than in controls (3.46 ±1.28) pg/ml, (p = 0.04). IL-4 levels (0.88 ± 1.27) and IL-13 levels (3.14 ± 5.85) in patients were significantly higher than in control’s (0.54 ± 0.10) pg/ml, (p = 0.001) and (1.19 ± 0.64) pg/ml; (p = 0.001) respectively.

The percentages of T cells in patients sensitized to 5 allergens (group I) were significantly lower (1.91 ± 0.62) than those sensitized to more than 5 allergens (group II) (2.91 ± 1.5) (p = 0.004).

Conclusions

The observed higher levels of IL-17 producing T cells in polysensitized males suggest a role of IL-17 in pathogenesis of AR. The higher airway responsiveness in AR may not be Th17 dependent. The higher serum values of IL-17, IL-4 and IL-13 demonstrate the presence of cytokine balance in atopic diseases.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Tsvetkova-Vicheva et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

Figure 5.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Williams CMM, Rahman S, Hubeau C, Ma HL: Cytokine pathways in allergic disease. Toxicol Pathol 2012, 40:205-15.
• [2]Iwakura Y, Ishigame H, Saijo S, Nakae S: Functional specialization of interleukin-17 family members. Immunity 2011, 34(2):149-62.
• [3]Mo JH, Chunq YJ, Kim JH: T cell transcriptional factors in allergic rhinitis and its association with clinical features. Asia Pac Allergy 2013, 3(3):186-93.
• [4]Wilson RH, Whitehead GS, Nakano H, Free ME, Kolls JK, Cook DN: Allergic sensitization through the airways primes Th17-dependant neutrophilia and airway hyperresponsiveness. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2009, 180(8):720-30.
• [5]Pepys J: Skin testing. Br J Hosp Med 1975, 14:412-417.
• [6]Sterk PJ, Fabbri LM, Quanjer PH, Cockroft DW, O’Byrne PM, Anderson SD, Juniper EF, Malo JL: Airway responsiveness. Standardized challenge testing with pharmacological, physical andsensitizing stimuli in adults: report working party standardization of lung function tests, european community for steel and coal: official statement of the european respiratory society. Eur Respir J Supp 1993, 16:53-83.
• [7]Rosenwasser LJ: Current understanding of the pathophysiology of allergic rhinitis. Immunol Allergy Clin N Am 2011, 31:433-439.
• [8]Milovanovic M, Drozdenko D, Weise C, Babina M, Worm M: Inteleukin-17A promotes IgE production in human B cells. The journal of Investigative Dermatology 2010, 130:2621-2628.
• [9]Ciprandi G, Cirillo I: Monosensitization and polysensitization in allergic rhinitis. European Journal of Internal Medicine 2011, 22:e75-e79.
• [10]Wang Y, McCusker CT: Interleukin-13-dependent bronchial hyper-responsiveness following isolated upper-airway allergen challenge in a murine model of allergic rhinitis and asthma. Clin Exp Allergy 2005, 35:1104-1111.
• [11]Whitehead GS, Wilson RH, Nakano K, Burch LH, Nakano H, Cook DN: IL-35 production by ICOS + tregs reverses established IL-17-dependent allergic airways disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2012, 129:207-215.
• [12]Wang YH, Liu YJ: The IL-17 cytokine family and their role in allergic inflammation. Curr Opin Immunol 2008, 20:697-702.
• [13]Wang Q, Li H, Yao Y, Xia D, Zhou J: The Overexpression of Heparin-Binding epidermal growth factor is responsible for Th17-Induced airway remodeling in an experimental asthma model. J Immunol 2010, 185:834-41.
• [14]Lim H, Kim YU, Yun K, Drouin SM, Chung Y: Distinct regulation of Th2 and Th17 responses to allergens by pulmonary antigen presenting cells in vivo. Immunology Letters 2013, 156:140-148.
• [15]Miyahara S, Miyahara N, Matsubara S, Takeda K, Koya T, Gelfand EW: IL-13 is essential to the late-phase response in allergic rhinitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2006, 118:1110-1116.