Balance Between T Helper17Cells And Regulatory T Cells In The Pathogenesis Of Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Object To explore the differences of T helper17cells (Thl7) and regulatory T cells (Treg) population in the peripheral blood of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and the role of Thl7/Treg balance in the pathogenesis of PBC. Methods Peripheral Thl7and Treg in48patients with PBC,20patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and22healthy controls were analysed by flow cytometry respectively. Serum concentration of IL-23was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). PBMC from PBC patients and healthy controls were cocultured with TGF-β1and IL-2separately for5days. Flow cytometry detection was taken to determine the changes of Treg and Thl7populations. Concentration of IL-17in the supernatant was measured by ELISA. Results Peripheral Thl7population increased and Treg population decreased in patients with PBC compared to the CHB and healthy controls, while IL-23concentration changed accordingly. Treg population was increased and Thl7population was decreased in those groups cocultured with TGF-β1and IL-2compared to the negative controls. IL-17levels in culture supernatant did not differ among the groups cocultured with or without TGF-βl and IL-2. The changes of Thl7and Treg population in patients with PBC did not differ from the healthy controls. Conclusions The opposite changes of Thl7and Treg population in PBC indicated the Thl7/Treg imbalance may contribute to the pathogenesis of PBC. Combination of TGF-β1and IL-2could induce the differentiation of naive T cells to Treg and suppress the generation of Thl7in vitro, which lead to the decreasement of Thl7population together with the inhibitatory effect of Treg. What’s more, the capability of differentiation of naive T cells to Treg did not differ among patients with PBC and healthy controls.