Expression and clinical significance of Th17 and Th17-related cytokines in patients infected with Schistosoma japonicum

Objective To investigate the variation of the proportions of peripheral blood Th17 cells as well as the serum level of Th17-related cytokines in the patients infected with Schistosoma japonicum. Methods The proportions of peripheral blood Th17 cells in the patients infected with Schistosoma japonicum and healthy subjects were determined by flow cytometry( FCM). ELISA was used to detect IL-17 and TGF-β1 in serum. Results The proportion of CD4+T cells in patients infected with Schistosoma japonicum was 2. 86 ± 1. 23 %,significantly higher than that in the healthy controls( 1. 07 ± 0. 93 %),( P 0. 05). The levels of IL-17 and TGF-β1 in serum of the patient groups were higher,the difference was significant( P 0. 05),( r = 0. 303,P 0. 05). IL-17 and TGF-β1 levels in the serum of the patients were positively correlated. Conclusion Th17 and the Th17-related cytokines IL-17 and TGF-β1 increased after the formation of Schistosomiasis liver fibrosis,which suggested that Th17 and the Th17-related cytokines might be involved in the pathogenesis of immune pathological damage of schistosomiasis liver fibrosis and hepatic schistosoma egg granuloma formation.