Expression and significance of Teff subsets, Treg and their cytokines in patients with vitiligo / 中国医师杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the expression and clinical significance of effector T cell (Teff), regulatory T cell (Treg) and their cytokines in patients with vitiligo.Methods:84 patients with vitiligo (38 cases in stable stage, 46 cases in advanced stage) who were admitted to the Dermatology Department of the Dezhou People's Hospital between June 2018 and June 2019 and 30 healthy people (control group) were enrolled in the study. The levels of Teff subsets and Treg cells in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry. The levels of Teff subsets and Treg cells-associated cytokines were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The relationship between Teff subsets and Treg cells levels in peripheral blood, relationship between Teff subgroups, Treg cells-associated cytokines and course of vitiligo, skin lesion area were analyzed.Results:The levels of T helper cell (Th)17 and Th22 in peripheral blood of vitiligo group were significantly higher than those of control group, while levels of Treg cells were significantly lower than control group ( P<0.05). Compared with the stable vitiligo group, the levels of Th17 and Th22 in peripheral blood were higher and levels of Treg cells were lower in the advanced vitiligo group ( P<0.05). Treg cell level was negatively correlated with Th17 cell level ( r=-0.303, P=0.001), and negatively correlated with Th22 cell level ( r=-0.200, P=0.033). The levels of serum interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-22 in vitiligo group were significantly higher than those in control group, while the level of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) was significantly lower than that in control group ( P<0.05). Compared with the stable vitiligo group, levels of serum IL-17 and IL-22 were higher and level of TGF-β was lower in the advanced vitiligo group ( P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that levels of IL-17 and IL-22 were positively correlated with skin lesion area ( r=0.361, 0.288, P<0.05), and level of TGF-β was negatively correlated with skin lesion area ( r=-0.312, P<0.05). Conclusions:Teff/Treg cells are unbalanced in patients with vitiligo, showing obvious shift to Teff subsets. The progression of vitiligo may be related to Teff subsets and Treg cells-associated cytokines.