The Study On The Imbalance Of Regulatory T Cells/Th17Cells In The Different Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes Of Asthma

Objective:Bronchial asthma is divided into different syndromes in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The imbalance of Regulatory T (Treg) cells/Thl7cells differentiation plays an important role in asthma. Treg cells and Th17cells express interleukin (IL-10) and IL-17A, respectively. The current study is to evaluate Treg cells/Th17cells differentiation via detecting the IL-10/IL-17A levels in serum, explore immunifaction of different syndromes in TCM, provide objective proof for TCM syndromes, and further benefit the clinical therapy.Methods:15patients of hot type asthma,15patients of deficiency syndrome of kidney yang, and15healthy volunteers were involved. Blood samples were collected from the subjects, serum was separated and stored at-80°C. IL-10and IL-17A levels in the samples were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.Results:1. The levels of IL-10of both hot type asthma (64.76±8.18) and kidney yang-deficiency (57.62±12.94) groups were decreased compared with that of volunteers group (104.22±42.07)(P<0.01).2. Compared with that of volunteers group (50.26±9.84), the IL-17A level of hot type asthma group (62.05±13.25) was significantly increased (P<0.01), while, there was no statistical difference between the hot and kidney yang-deficiency types.3. The ratios of IL-10and IL-17A in hot type asthma (1.08±0.20) and kidney yang-deficiency (1.11±0.37) groups were decreased compared with that of volunteers group (2.10±0.90)(P<0.01). There was no statistical difference between the hot type asthma (1.08±0.20) and the kidney yang-deficiency asthma.Conclusion:1. The hot type asthmas showed a decrease of IL-10, overexpression of IL-17A, and a reduced ratio of IL-10and IL-17A, suggesting an imbalance of Treg cells/Th17cells sourced from a simultaneous IL-10decrease and IL-17A increase.2. The asthmas with kidney yang-deficiency types displayed a lower level of IL-10, normal level of IL-17A, and a decreased ratio of IL-10and IL-17A, also suggesting an imbalance of Treg cells/Th17cells, but originated from an IL-10decrease.3. The results revealed the asthmas with hot type and kidney yang-deficiency type have some abnormal immunifaction, but the IL-10/IL-17A or Treg cells/Th17cells cannot be an objective proof for TCM syndromes.