Detection and clinical significance of Th17/Treg in peripheral venous blood of children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura combined with mycoplasma pneumoniae infection / 中国小儿急救医学

ABSTRACT

Objective:To discuss the correlation between the immune instability of Th17/Treg and the pathogenesis of the Henoch-Schonlein purpura(HSP)with Mpcoplasma pneumoniae(MP)infection.Methods:From June 2018 to December 2019, children who had been diagnosed as HSP in the Department of Pediatrics at Qinhuangdao First Hospital and Qinhuangdao Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, as well as in-patients with MP infection and outpatients, who had health check-up were collected.The subjects were divided into HSP group(41 cases), MP group(25 cases), HSP-MP group(19 cases) and control group(20 cases) according to the diagnosis of HSP and MP infection.The percentage of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral venous blood of four groups were determined by flow cytometry, and the levels of interleukin(IL)-17, IL-6 and transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)in peripheral venous serum of four groups were detected by ELISA.Results:There were no statistically significant differences regarding age and gender distribution among four groups( P>0.05). The percentages of Th17 cells, IL-17 and IL-6 levels in peripheral blood of the HSP-MP group was significantly higher than those in the other three groups( P<0.05), which in HSP group and MP group were higher than that in control group( P<0.05). There was no statistical difference between HSP group and MP group( P>0.05). The percentage of Treg cells in peripheral blood was significantly lower in HSP-MP group than those in the other three groups( P<0.05), which in the HSP group and MP group were lower than those in control group( P<0.05). There was no statistical difference between HSP group and MP group( P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences of TGF-β among the four groups( P>0.05). Conclusion:High levels of IL-17 and IL-6 may be an important factor causing severe Th17/Treg immune disorders in children with HSP combined with MP infection, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HSP combined with MP infection.