The Role Of Th17/Treg Cell Imbalance In The Progression Of Chronic Hepatitis B Disease

Objective:Exploring the role of Th17/Treg cell imbalance in the progression of chronic hepatitis B disease.Methods:In this study,40 patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB),30 males and 10 females,and 34 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis(LC),26 males and 8 females,who came to the outpatient and inpatient admissions of the Department of Infection of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University between July 2019 and January 2020,were selected;15 patients,7 males and 8 females,who came to our hospital for health screening during the same period were used as normal controls.The expression rates of helper T cell 17(Th17)and regulatory T lymphocytes(Treg)in peripheral blood were measured using flow cytometry(FCM),and the Th17/Treg ratio was calculated.The levels of interleukin-17A(IL-17A),interleukin-21(IL-21),interleukin-23(IL-23),transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1),and HBV markers including HBsAg,HBsAb,HBeAg,HBeAb,HBcAb levels were measured using an enzyme link immuo-adsordent assay(ELISA).Liver function indicators including ALanine Aminotransferase(ALT),Aspartate Aminotransferase(AST),Total Bilirubin(TBIL)were measured using a fully automated biochemical analyzer.levels.HBV-DNA load was measured using real-time PCR(RT-PCR).Statistical analysis of all data was performed using SPSS24.0 statistical software.Results:1.Compared with the normal control group,chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis B cirrhosis,the Th17 cell and Treg cell proportion,Th17/Treg ratio,IL-17A,IL-21,IL-23 levels were increased siginificantly and TGF-β1 levels were obviously decreased,the differences were statistically significant(all p<0.05).2.Compared with chronic hepatitis B,the Th17 cell and Treg cell proportion,IL-17A,IL-21,IL-23 levels were increased siginificantly and TGF-β1 level was decreased obviously in the hepatitis B cirrhosis group,and the differences were statistically significant(all p<0.05).Conclusion:1.Significant Th17/Treg cell imbalance was observed in both patients with chronic hepatitis B and patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis.2.Patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis had significantly severe Th17/Treg cell imbalance than patients with chronic hepatitis B.3.Th17/Treg cell imbalance may play an important role in the progression of chronic hepatitis B disease,and its mechanism needs to be studied in depth.