Vitamin D in regulating the balance of Th1/Th2 in patients with bronchial asthma and effects of IL-17

Objective To investigate the regulation of vitamin D on Th1/Th2 balance in patients with bronchial asthma (asthma) and the influence on interleukin-17 (IL-17). Methods Eighty patients with stable asthma were randomly divided into control group and treatment group with 40 cases in each. The control group was given Shah Mette Lo fluticasone inhalation in the treatment of 50/250 μg QD. The treatment group was added with alfacalcidol 0.5 μg QD oral on the basis of the control group. The two groups were examined by IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-17 detection before treatment, calculation of IFN-γ/IL-4 rati, checked the index after 8 weeks. Results Before treatment, the levels of IFN-γ and IL-4, IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio and IL-17 in the two groups were nearly the same (P>0.05). After treatment, IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio in the treatment group was significantly higher than that of control group (P<0.05), the decrease of IL-17 in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions In asthma patients, vitamin D have a regulatory role of Th1/Th2 balance, vitamin D can reduce the IL-17 overexpression in patients with asthma. Key words: Th1; Th2; Interferon-γ; Interleukin-4; Interleukin-17