Changes and clinical significance of serum interleukin 17, interleukin 18 and interleukin 18 binding protein in patients with aplastic anemia

Abstract

Objective To explore the clinical significance of changes of serum.interleukin 17(IL-17), interleukin 18(IL-18) and interleukin 18 binding protein(IL-18BP) in patients with AA. Methods Serum IL-17, IL-18 and IL-18BP levels were measured by ELISA in 50 patients with AA and 52 health control. Results The levels of serum IL-17, IL-18 and IL-18BP in the AA group were (216.41±22.24)μg/L, (402.37±59.76)ng/L and (8.79±2.61)μg/L respectively, which were higher than those in the healthy control group of (90.36±9.78)μg/L, (136.48±20.25)ng/L and (2.01±0.68)μg/L(t=37.41, 30.46, 18.13, all P<0.01). And the levels of serum IL-17, IL-18 and IL-18BP in AAA group were (267.76±30.17)μg/L, (479.41±68.76)ng/Land (11.72±3.29)μg/L, which were higher than those in the CAA group of (156.48±18.36)μg/L, (312.47±40.61)ng/L and (5.36±1.45)μg/L (t=15.73, 10.43, 8.92, all P<0.01). The serum level of IL-17 was positive correlation with the levels of IL-18 and IL-18BP in patients with AA (r=0.527, r=0.489, all P<0.05), the serum level of IL-18 was also positive correlation with the level of IL-18BP(r=0.731, P<0.01). Conclusion IL-17, IL-18 and IL-18BP may participate in the pathogenesis of AA, and there is a certain correlation, which may influence the process of AA. Key words: Anemia, aplastic; Interleukin 17; Interleukin 18; Interleukin 18 binding protein