Li RD, Tao YF, Shen CH, Ma ZY, Zhang XF, Zhang QB, Wang ZX. Role of Th17 and Treg cells and Th17/Treg imbalance in immune tolerance in rats after liver transplantation.
Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2017;
25:3046-3052. [DOI:
10.11569/wcjd.v25.i34.3046]
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Abstract
AIM
To investigate the relationship between Th17/Treg expression in liver tissue and immune tolerance after liver transplantation.
METHODS
A rat model of orthotopic liver transplantation from Lewis rats to Brown Norway (BN) rats (LEWIS→BN) was developed using Kamada's two-cuff technique. Control rats underwent orthotopic BN→BN liver transplantation. After operation, the general condition of rats was observed. Rats were sacrificed on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after modeling to collect liver tissues for HE staining. The levels of serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), interleukin (IL)-17, IL-23, IL-10, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 were measured by ELISA.
RESULTS
Compared with the control group, serum levels of ALT and AST were increased obviously in the LEWIS→BN group at all the three time points (P < 0.05, on the 7th day, ALT in the control group: 819.29 IU/L ± 79.33 IU/L; in the LEWIS→BN group: 1305.62 IU/L ± 94.82 IU/L, AST in the control group: 337.82 IU/L ± 32.17 IU/L; AST in the LEWIS→BN group: 867.75 IU/L ± 73.97 IU/L); the levels of Th17 related factors IL-17 (the control group: 28.67 pg/mL ± 2.55 pg/mL, the LEWIS→BN group: 92.36 pg/mL ± 9.00 pg/mL) and IL-23 (the control group: 26.82 pg/mL ± 8.17 pg/mL, the LEWIS→BN group: 62.98 pg/mL ± 12.96 pg/mL) in the peripheral blood were increased dramatically, while the levels of Treg related factor IL-10 (the control group: 76.92 pg/mL ± 12.87 pg/mL, the LEWIS→BN group: 47.92 pg/mL ± 7.00 pg/mL) and TGF-β1 (the control group: 129.47 pg/mL ± 18.37 pg/mL, the LEWIS→BN group: 82.48 pg/mL ± 11.83 pg/mL) were decreased dramatically in the LEWIS→BN group, suggesting the presence of Th17/Treg imbalance in acute rejection. The downregulation of Smad2/3 protein levels had the same trend as TGF-β1, and the difference between the Lewis→BN acute rejection group and the BN→ BN immune tolerance group was statistically significant (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
IL-17, IL-23, IL-10, and TGF-β1 take part in acute rejection after orthotopic liver transplantation, causing Treg to Th17 immune deviation, which may be used as a target index in immune tolerance of liver transplantation.
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