Expression profiles of Th17 pathway-related genes in patients with syphilis serofast reaction analyzed by PCR-Array technique

Abstract

Objective To detect the expression of Th17 pathway-related genes in patients with syphilis serofast reaction and to investigate the mechanism of Th17 cells in syphilis serofast reaction. Methods Peripheral blood samples were collected from patients with syphilis serofast reaction (n=8), patients who were syphilis-seronegative after treatment (n=8) and healthy subjects (n=8). Total RNA was extracted from each blood sample and then reversely transcribed into cDNA. PCR-Array analysis was performed to quantify the expression levels of Th17 pathway-related genes. Results The expression levels of genes with a fold change >2 (up or down regulated) were defined as differentially expressed. (1) Compared with the control group, the patients with syphilis serofast reaction showed increased expression of genes encoding forkhead box protein 3 (Foxp3) and IL-10, but decreased expression of genes encoding C-C motif chemokine 22 (CCL22), colony stimulating factor 2 (CSF2), CSF3, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 6 (CXCL6), IL-17A, IL-17D, IL-21, IL-23R, IL-9, interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4), RAR-related orphan receptor α (RORα), RAR-related orphan receptor γ (RORγ) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). (2) Compared with the seronegative syphilis group, the expression levels of genes encoding Foxp3 and IL-10 in patients with syphilis serofast reaction were up-regulated, while the expression of genes encoding CCL22, CSF2, CSF3, IL-17A, IL-21, IL-23R, IRF4, RORγ and STAT3 were down-regulated. (3) The expression levels of genes encoding CXCL6 and IL-9 in seronegative syphilis group were lower than those in control group. Conclusion The abnormal expression of Th17 pathway-related genes might relate to the pathogenesis of serofast state of syphilis. Key words: Syphilis; Serofast; Th17 cell; Oligonucleotide array sequence analysis