Gazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Ankara, Turkey.
Public Health Institution of Turkey, Microbiology Reference Laboratories, Ankara, Turkey.
Clin Rheumatol. 2018 Oct;37(10):2797-2804. doi: 10.1007/s10067-018-4049-7. Epub 2018 Mar 20.
Behcet's disease is a chronic multisystemic disease with remissions and relapses. Several studies have shown that immune mechanisms play an important role in the development of the disease. In order to assess the association of disease activity with IL-17A/F, IL-23, IL-12/23 (p40) and IL-35 expression, we aimed to investigate production of these cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from Behcet's patients and normal controls. Furthermore, we included Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) as disease control to evaluate the specificity of our data for immunopathogenesis of BD. Totally 15 active, 15 inactive Behcet's patients, 12 active and 12 inactive SLE patients and 12 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated, lymphocyte cultures were performed and IL-17A/F, IL-12/23 p(40), IL-23, IL-35 cytokine levels were measured by ELISA in culture supernatants in the presence or absence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) on time-dependent manner. IL-17 A/F levels increased parallel to IL-23 levels in Behcet's and SLE patients. Compared to healthy controls, IL-17 A/F levels were higher in active Behcet's and SLE patients; on the contrary, levels of IL-35 were lower. IL-17A/F, IL-12/23 (p40) and IL-23 levels were detectable most frequently in active Behcet's patients followed by active SLE patients. Our results indicate that IL-17 A/F, IL-23 and IL-12/23 (p40) may play role in the immunopathogenesis of BD so as Th17 and Th1 cell responses. Since IL-35 levels were lower in active Behcet's patients compared to inactive patients and healthy controls, there may be a plasticity between Th17 and Treg cells according to the state of disease activity.
贝赫切特病是一种慢性多系统疾病，具有缓解和复发的特点。多项研究表明，免疫机制在疾病的发展中起着重要作用。为了评估疾病活动与白细胞介素 17A/F、白细胞介素 23、白细胞介素 12/23（p40）和白细胞介素 35 表达之间的关系，我们旨在研究贝赫切特病患者和正常对照者外周血单个核细胞（PBMC）中这些细胞因子的产生情况。此外，我们纳入系统性红斑狼疮（SLE）作为疾病对照，以评估我们的数据对于 BD 免疫发病机制的特异性。总共纳入 15 例活动期、15 例缓解期贝赫切特病患者、12 例活动期和 12 例缓解期 SLE 患者以及 12 例健康志愿者。分离外周血单个核细胞，进行淋巴细胞培养，在植物血凝素（PHA）存在或不存在的情况下，通过 ELISA 检测培养上清液中白细胞介素 17A/F、白细胞介素 12/23 p（40）、白细胞介素 23 和白细胞介素 35 细胞因子水平，随时间变化。贝赫切特病和 SLE 患者的白细胞介素 17A/F 水平与白细胞介素 23 水平平行增加。与健康对照组相比，活动期贝赫切特病和 SLE 患者的白细胞介素 17A/F 水平较高，而白细胞介素 35 水平较低。在活动期贝赫切特病患者中最常检测到白细胞介素 17A/F、白细胞介素 12/23（p40）和白细胞介素 23，其次是活动期 SLE 患者。我们的研究结果表明，白细胞介素 17A/F、白细胞介素 23 和白细胞介素 12/23（p40）可能在 BD 的免疫发病机制中发挥作用，从而导致 Th17 和 Th1 细胞反应。由于活动期贝赫切特病患者的白细胞介素 35 水平与缓解期患者和健康对照组相比降低，因此根据疾病活动状态，Th17 和 Treg 细胞之间可能存在可塑性。
