Imbalance between IL-17A-Producing Cells and Regulatory T Cells during Ischemic Stroke

الملخص EN

Immune responses and inflammation are key elements in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke (IS).

Although the involvement of IL-17A in IS has been demonstrated using animal models, the involvement of IL-17A and IL-17-secreting T cell subsets in IS patients has not been verified, and whether the balance of Treg/IL-17-secreting T cells is altered in IS patients remains unknown.

In the present study, we demonstrated that the proportion of peripheral Tregs and the levels of IL-10 and TGF-β were reduced in patients with IS compared with controls using flow cytometry (FCM), real-time PCR, and ELISA assays.

However, the proportions of Th17 and γδ T cells, the primary IL-17A-secreting cells, increased dramatically, and these effects were accompanied by increases in the levels of IL-17A, IL-23, IL-6, and IL-1β in IS patients.

These studies suggest that the increase in IL-17A-producing cells and decrease in Treg cells might contribute to the pathogenesis of IS.

Manipulating the balance between Tregs and IL-17A-producing cells might be helpful for the treatment of IS.