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Digestive Diseases and Sciences
Published in: Digestive Diseases and Sciences 7/2014

01-07-2014 | Original Article

Regulatory Role of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells on IL-17-Secreting T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients

Authors: Jie Li, Jun Shi, Wanhua Ren, Wei Wu, Zhi Chen

Published in: Digestive Diseases and Sciences | Issue 7/2014

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Abstract

Background

Both interleukin (IL)-17-secreting CD4+ T (Th17) and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells have been shown to be associated with disease progression or liver damage in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. However, the relationship between Treg cells and IL-17-secreting T cells in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections is unclear.

Methods

The frequencies of Treg cells and IL-17-secreting T cells in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB patients and healthy subjects were measured by flow cytometric analysis. The role of Treg cells on the differentiation of Ag-specific IL-17-secreting T cells was determined by removing the Treg cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in HBeAg-positive CHB patients.

Results

The frequencies of both Th17 (1.71 ± 0.58 vs. 1.08 ± 0.36 %; P < 0.01) and Treg cells (8.92 ± 4.11 vs. 6.45 ± 1.56 %; P < 0.01) were increased in the peripheral blood of HBeAg-positive CHB patients compared with healthy controls, but in not the IL-17-secreting CD8+ T (Tc17) cells. The frequency of Treg cells was significantly associated with that of Th17 cells (r = 0.625, P = 0.001) in CHB patients. Spearman analysis showed a positive correlation between the frequency of Treg cells and HBV DNA load (r = 0.508, P = 0.008), as well as between the frequency of Th17 cells and serum alanine aminotransferase level (r = 0.516, P = 0.007). The deletion of Treg cells significantly enhanced both Th17 and Tc17 cell development in PBMCs following recombinant HBV core antigen stimulation.

Conclusions

Our data indicate a clear inverse relationship between Th17 cells and Treg cells and that Treg cells can inhibit Th17 cell development in CHB patients.
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Metadata
Title
Regulatory Role of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells on IL-17-Secreting T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients
Authors
Jie Li
Jun Shi
Wanhua Ren
Wei Wu
Zhi Chen
Publication date
01-07-2014
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Digestive Diseases and Sciences / Issue 7/2014
Print ISSN: 0163-2116
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2568
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-013-3022-1

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