RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the immunopathogenesis of Henoch-Schonlein purpara (HSP) by detecting the levels of Th17 cells, IL-17 and matrix metallo proteinase-13 (MMP-13) in peripheral blood and the expression of IL-17 in skin lesions at acate phase of HSP.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Th17 cell ratio in peripheral blood of HSP group and healthy control group was defected by flow cytometry, the plasma levels of IL-17 and MMP-13 in HSP group and healthy control group were defected by ELISA, and expression level of IL-17 in skin lesion of HSP group and skin tissue of healthy control group was deternined by: immunohistochemistry method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>the ratio of Th17 cells in periphral blood of HSP group (1.21±0.59%) was very signif cantly higher than that in peripheral blood of control group (0.71±0.26%) ( t=4.907, P<0.01). The plasma levels of IL-17 and MMP-13 at acute phase of HSP were very significantly higher than those in control group (64.58±36.21) pg/ml vs (26.16±14.90) pg/ml and (17.57±5.40) pg/ml vs (11.53±4.40) pg/ml respectively (t=6.183, P<0.01 and t=5.022, P<0.01). The integrool optical density of IL-17 in skin lesin tissue of HSP group (7.26±2.34) was higher than that in control group (4.61±1.82) ( t=2.877, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Th17 cells, IL-17 and MMP-13 may be involved in the immunological pathogenesis of HSP.</p>