Objective To investigate the effects of Th17 cells and Treg cells on immune evasion in patients with hepatic hydatid disease. Methods From August 2008 to September 2009, 54 patients with hepatic hydatid disease who were treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University and 20 healthy people (control group) were enrolled in this study. Of the 54 patients, 21 had liver cystic enchinococcosis (CE)(CE group), 15 had recurrent cystic echinococcosis (RCE) (RCE group) and 18 had liver alveolar echinococcosis(AE) (AE group). The serum concentrations of interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-23, transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1) and IL-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All data were analysed by one-way analysis of variance, LSD-t test and Pearson correlation analysis. Results Serum IL-17 levels were significantlylower in the AE group [(11±3)ng/L], CE group [(13±4) ng/L] and RCE group [(13 ±5) ng/L]compared with those in the control group [(16±5) ng/L] ( F = 6.53, P ＜ 0.05 ). There was no significant difference in serum IL-17 levels between the CE and RCE groups (t =0.22, P ＞0.05). Serum levels of IL-23were also lower in the AE group [(72±27) ng/L], CE group [( 106±53) ng/L] and RCE group [( 107±48 ) ng/L] compared with those in the control group [( 139±50) ngg/L] ( F = 6.74, P ＜ 0.05 ), while there was no significant difference between the CE and RCE groups (t =0.02, P＞0.05). The serum levels of IL-10 were significantly higher in the AE group [(5.5±2.2) ng/L], CE group [(4.3±2.0) ng/L] and RCE group [(4.2 ± 1.4) ng/L] compared with those in the control group [(3.1 ± 0.8 ) ng/L] ( F = 9.78, P ＜ 0.05 ),with no significant differences between the CE and RCE groups ( t = 0.14, P ＞ 0.05 ). TGF-β1 levels were significantly higher in the AE group [(38±7) μg/L], CE group [(37±7) μg/L] and RCE group [(33±9) μg/L]compared with those in the control group [( 26±7) μg,/L] ( F = 6.73, P＜ 0.05 ), with no significant difference among the AE, CE and RCE groups ( t = 0.56, 1.81, P ＞ 0.05 ). The Th17/Treg (IL-17/IL-10) ratio was significantly decreased in the AE group ( 2.1 ± 0.7 ), CE group ( 3.6 ± 1.5 ) and RCE group ( 3.4 ± 1.9)compared with that in the control group (5.7 ± 2.6) ( F = 13.76, P ＜ 0.05 ), while no significant difference was found between the CE and RCE groups (t = 0.23, P ＞ 0.05). The serum concentrations of IL-17 were negatively correlated with TGF-β1 ( r = - 0.23, P ＜ 0.05 ) and positively correlated with IL-23 ( r = 0.70, P ＜ 0.05 ).Serum concentrations of IL-10 were positively correlated with TGF-β1 ( r = 0.46, P ＜ 0.05 ). Conclusion The overwhelming expression of Treg related cytokines disrupts the Th17/Treg balance in patients with AE or CE,which may have a potential role in immune evasion in the progress of hydatid disease.

Objective To investigate the change of T helper 17 cells (Th17) in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) in patients with liver cystic echinococcosis. Methods Fifty-six subjects were divided into three groups: healthy controls (HD, n = 20), patients with cystic echinococcosis (CE, n= 18) and patients with cystic echinococcosis combined with bile fistula (BF,n= 18). The frequency of Th17 cells in CD4+ T lymphocytes was detected by flow cytometry. Th17-related cytokines including interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The data were analyzed by t test and Pearson correlation analysis.Results The frequency of Th17 in the peripheral blood was significantly lower in CE group compared to BF group and HD group [(0. 23±0. 11)% vs (0. 76±0.43)% vs (0.52±0.50)%; t=2. 225 and4. 077 respectively, both P＜0.05), while there was no statistical difference between BF group and HD group (t=1. 931, P＞0.05). The levels IL-17 and IL-23 were (12.1±3.7) ng/L and (84.4±46.0) ng/L respectively in CE group, which were lower than those in BF group [(15.5±4.1) ng/L and (138.6±37. 9) ng/L, respectively; t=2. 515 and 3. 649 respectively, both P＜0.05] and those in HD group [(14.8±4.4) ng/L and (138.1±48. 7) ng/L, respectively; t=2. 401 and 3. 706 respectively,both P ＜0.05], while there was no statistical difference between BF group and HD group (t=0. 534,P ＞0.05). Serum concentrations of IL-17 were all positively correlated with the concentrations of IL23 in these three groups (r=0. 657, P＜0.05). Conclusion The frequeny of Th17 cells in PBMC and the serum concentrations of IL-17, IL-23 are significantly reduced in patients with cystic echinococcosis.

Objective To explore the expression of TLR2,4,7 mRNA on peripheral blood mono-nuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with chronic cystic echinococcosis(CE) infection, and the level of serum IL-10. Methods The expression level of TLR2,4,7 mRNA on peripheral blood mononuclear were tested in 42 chronic CE cases and 28 normal controls (NC) by real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (FQ-RT-PCR) method. GAPDH was selected as the internal control. The level of serum IL-10 was determined in ELISA. The subjects were determined by t test. The correlations between TLR2, TLR4, TLR7 and IL-10 were determined by differences of expression of TLR2, TLR4, TLR7 on PBMCs and serum IL-10 in two groups of study linear correlation test. Results The expressions of TLR2, TLR4,TLR7 mRNA in chronic CE group were higher than those of in NC group. Compared with the NC group, the expressions of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR7 mRNA increased more than 7.3-, 3.6-, 3.6-fold, respectively. In chronic CE group, TLR2, TLR4 and TLR7 mRNA expressions were 1.0729 ±0.4006, 5.0976 ±1.6682, 0. 6481 ±0. 2574, respectively. TLR2, TLR4 and TLR7 mRNA expressions were 0. 1468 ± 0.0435, 1.4067 ±0. 3279, 0. 1804 ±0. 0568 in NC group, respectively. Compared with NC group, the differences of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA expression were significant (P = 0.0287, 0. 033), while the expression of TLR7 mRNA was not difference (P =0.0862). Moreover, in chronic CE group, the level of serum IL-10 was higher than that of in NC group. In chronic CE group and NC group, the level of serum IL-10 was (17.6770±1.6298) pg/ml, (9.4898 ±0.7049) pg/ml. Compared with NC group, there was significant difference in chronic group (P<0.01). Significant positive correlation between TLR2 and TLR4 was found in chronic CE group, r = 0. 1135, P =0.036. Others were not correlations. Conclusion In the development of chronic CE, TLR2 and TLR4 participate in this progression. As the receptors of antigen of cystic echinococcus, TLR2 and TLR4 can regulate the immune response through interacting with different antigens from cystic echinococcus. Meanwhile, under the participation of TLR2, TLR4 and increased serum IL-10, they will approach to Th2 immune reaction, which play an important role in chronic CE that can induce immune evasion.