Effects of Qi-Boosting Toxin-Resolving Formula on CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells and Th17 Cells of Patients with Middle to Late Staged Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma / 中国中医药信息杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of Qi-Boosting Toxin-Resolving Formula (QBTRF) on CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and Th17 cells of patients with middle to late staged nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods Flow cytometry was performed to detect the ratio of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and Th17 cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC) among 18 patients with middle to late stage of NPC treated by QBTRF added to conventional therapy (treatment group), Foxp3 mRNA and ROR-γt mRNA in PMBC was determined by RT-PCR technique. Furthermore, serum levels of IL-6 and TGF-β were assayed by ELISA. Meanwhile, 15 patients with NPC treated by conventional therapy were taken as the control group. Results The ratio of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells to the total CD4+ T cells and the transcriptional level of Foxp3 mRNA in PMBC were significantly lower in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05), the ratio of Th17 cells to the total CD4+T cells and the transcriptional level of ROR-γt mRNA in PMBC were significantly higher in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05). However, the serum level of IL-6 was obviously higher in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05), and the serum leve of TGF-βwas obviously lower in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05). Conclusion QBTRF can significantly affect the number ratio and functional activity of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and enforce the differentiation of Th17 cells among patients with middle to late staged NPC, which it may be reversed the immune tolerance of NPC through regulating the level of IL-6 and TGF-β.