Clinical study of peripheral blood helper T cell 17/regulatory T cell balance and levels of related immune cytokines in children with enterovirus encephalitis

Abstract

Objective To study the peripheral blood helper T cell 17 (Th17)/regulatory T cell (Treg) balance and levels of related immune cytokines in children with enterovirus encephalitis. Methods One hundred and two children with enterovirus encephalitis from January 2014 to January 2017 were selected as enterovirus encephalitis group, and 100 healthy children who received physical examination during the same period were selected as healthy control group. The peripheral blood expressions of Th17 and Treg were detected by flow cytometry, and the Th17/Treg was calculated. The serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17, IL-23, IL-4, IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results The peripheral blood expression of Th17 and Th17/Treg in enterovirus encephalitis group were significantly higher than those in healthy control group (0.032 ± 0.006 vs. 0.024 ± 0.004 and 3.04 ± 0.61 vs. 1.99 ± 0.37), the peripheral blood expression of Treg was significantly lower than that in healthy control group (0.011 ± 0.002 vs. 0.013 ± 0.002), and there were statistical differences (P<0.05). The serum levels of IL-6, IL-17 and IL-23 in enterovirus encephalitis group were significantly higher than those in healthy control group, the serum levels of IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β were significantly lower than those in healthy control group, and there were statistical differences (P<0.05). Conclusions The peripheral blood expression of Th17 is high, and the peripheral blood expression of Treg is low in children with enterovirus encephalitis. There is imbalance of Th17/Treg. The IL-17, IL-23, IL-4, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β and other Th17 and Treg related immune cytokines may be involved in the pathogenesis of enterovirus encephalitis. Key words: Encephalitis, viral; Enterovirus infections; T helper cell 17; Regulatory T cells