Expression profiles of Th17 pathway-related genes in patients with syphilis serofast reaction analyzed by PCR-Array technique / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To detect the expression of Th17 pathway-related genes in patients with syphilis serofast reaction and to investigate the mechanism of Th17 cells in syphilis serofast reaction. Meth-ods Peripheral blood samples were collected from patients with syphilis serofast reaction ( n=8 ) , patients who were syphilis-seronegative after treatment (n=8) and healthy subjects (n=8). Total RNA was extrac-ted from each blood sample and then reversely transcribed into cDNA. PCR-Array analysis was performed to quantify the expression levels of Th17 pathway-related genes. Results The expression levels of genes with a fold change >2 (up or down regulated) were defined as differentially expressed. (1) Compared with the control group, the patients with syphilis serofast reaction showed increased expression of genes encoding fork-head box protein 3 (Foxp3) and IL-10, but decreased expression of genes encoding C-C motif chemokine 22 (CCL22), colony stimulating factor 2 (CSF2), CSF3, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 6 (CXCL6), IL-17A, IL-17D, IL-21, IL-23R, IL-9, interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4), RAR-related orphan receptorα( RORα) , RAR-related orphan receptor γ ( RORγ) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). (2) Compared with the seronegative syphilis group, the expression levels of genes encoding Foxp3 and IL-10 in patients with syphilis serofast reaction were up-regulated, while the expression of genes encoding CCL22, CSF2, CSF3, IL-17A, IL-21, IL-23R, IRF4, RORγ and STAT3 were down-regulated. (3) The expression levels of genes encoding CXCL6 and IL-9 in seronegative syphilis group were lower than those in control group. Conclusion The abnormal expression of Th17 pathway-related genes might relate to the pathogenesis of serofast state of syphilis.