Elevated levels of IL ‐22‐ and IL‐17A‐producing T helper cells in cholangiocarcinomarelated to liver fluke infection

Abstract Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) associated with liver fluke infection appears to involve inflammatory and immune processes, but whether these involve the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin‐17A (IL‐17A) and proliferative cytokine interleukin‐22 (IL‐22) is unclear.We compared levels of IL‐22‐ or IL‐17A‐producing T helper cells and cytokine levels in 30 CCA patients with long‐term liver fluke infection, 40 patients with liver‐fluke infection but not CCA and 16 healthy controls. Analyses were performed using immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, ELISA and RT‐PCR. Immunohistochemical staining showed the expression of IL‐22 and IL‐17A in CCA patients without liver fluke infection was lower than those liver fluke‐infected patients (P< 0.01). Flow cytometry revealed significantly greater median proportions of IL‐22‐producing T helper cells in CCA patients(2.2%) than in non‐CCA patients(0.69%) and controls (0.4%,P< 0.001). Similar results were obtained for IL‐17A‐producing T helper cells. ELISA revealed plasma concentrations of IL‐22 in CCA patients that were 1.3‐fold higher than in non‐CCA patients and 4.6‐fold higher than in controls (P< 0.001). Plasma concentrations of IL‐17Ain CCA patients were2.5‐fold higher than in non‐CCA patients, and 21‐fold higher than in controls (P< 0.001).Levels ofIL‐22and IL‐17A mRNAs in blood were significantly higher in CCA patients than in the other two groups. Proportions of CD...
Source: Microbiology and Immunology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research