Zhang Cuiping, Xiao Chunchun, Wang Peng, Xu Wenhua, Zhang Aimei, Li Qing, Xu Xiucai
Central Laboratory of Medical Research Center, Affiliated Provincial Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230001, PR China.
Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Provincial Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230001, PR China.
Hum Immunol. 2014 Apr;75(4):289-96. doi: 10.1016/j.humimm.2014.02.007. Epub 2014 Feb 12.
T cells have been demonstrated to exert central roles in the development of type 2 DN (T2DN). To explore whether Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg paradigm plays an important role in the development of T2DN, we investigated the proportions of Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg cells and serum levels of relevant cytokines in T2DM patients with various degrees of nephropathy and controls. Moreover, we analyzed the relationships between the Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg paradigm or relevant cytokines with urine albumin:creatinine ratio (UACR). Our study demonstrated that the Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg paradigm skewed to Th1 and Th17 in T2DN patients. UACR was positively related to the proportions of Th1 and Th17 cells, as well as the ratio of Th17:Treg cells, and negatively related to the proportions of Treg cells. Furthermore, serum levels of IL-6, IL-17, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-10 were increased in T2DN patients, and positively related to UACR. These data indicate that the alteration of Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg paradigm exists in T2DN patients, which may contribute to the enhanced immune activation and inflammation, and subsequent development and progression of T2DN. These findings may provide one new approach to the underlying mechanisms of the development of T2DN.
T细胞已被证明在2型糖尿病肾病（T2DN）的发展中发挥核心作用。为了探究Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg模式是否在T2DN的发展中起重要作用，我们调查了不同程度肾病的T2DM患者和对照组中Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg细胞的比例以及相关细胞因子的血清水平。此外，我们分析了Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg模式或相关细胞因子与尿白蛋白：肌酐比值（UACR）之间的关系。我们的研究表明，T2DN患者的Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg模式向Th1和Th17倾斜。UACR与Th1和Th17细胞的比例以及Th17：Treg细胞的比例呈正相关，与Treg细胞的比例呈负相关。此外，T2DN患者血清IL-6、IL-17、IFN-γ、TNF-α、IL-2和IL-10水平升高，且与UACR呈正相关。这些数据表明，T2DN患者存在Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg模式的改变，这可能导致免疫激活和炎症增强，以及随后T2DN的发生和发展。这些发现可能为T2DN发生发展的潜在机制提供一种新的研究方法。
