Correlations between the T helper cell 17/regulatory T cells balance in peripheral blood of patients with oral lichen planus and clinical characteristics

doi:10.7518/hxkq.2018.04.007

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective This study aimed to investigate the ratio of T helper cell 17 (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg) in peripheral blood of oral lichen planus (OLP) and explore the pathogenesis of its possible role and significance. Methods The peripheral blood samples were obtained from 33 patients with OLP (15 cases of reticular OLP and 18 cases of erosive OLP) and 17 healthy controls. The percentages of Th17 and Treg cells were detected by flow cytometry (FCM). Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique was used to detect the expression levels of retinoid-related orphan nuclear receptor γt (RORγt) and forkhead box 3 (Foxp3). Results The proportions of Th17, Treg cells, and their transcription factors (RORγt and Foxp3) in OLP were higher than those in the control groups (P<0.05). By contrast, in Treg cells and Foxp3, no significance was observed between erosive OLP and reticular OLP. Th17/Treg ratio increased in OLP. This ratio was significantly increased in erosive OLP compared with those in the control groups and reticular OLP (P<0.01). Nevertheless, no significance was noted between reticular OLP and control groups. Statistical analysis demonstrated positive correlations among Th17 cells, Th17/Treg, and clinical characteristics (r=0.66, P=0.00; r=0.66, P=0.00; r=0.52, P=0.00; r=0.50, P=0.00). Positive correlations also existed between Th17 and Treg cells (r=0.39, P=0.03). Conclusion Th17 cells, Treg cells, and their ratios all increased in the peripheral blood of OLP. Moreover, the imbalance inTh17/Treg may play a role in the pathogenesis of erosive OLP.

Key words: oral lichen planus, T helper cell 17, regu-latory T cells, flow cytometry

CLC Number:

R781.5

Peiru Jia, Yunying Huang, Ying Wang, Yang Cai. Correlations between the T helper cell 17/regulatory T cells balance in peripheral blood of patients with oral lichen planus and clinical characteristics[J]. West China Journal of Stomatology, 2018, 36(4): 384-388.

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组别	例数	Th17/%	Treg/%	Th17/Treg
正常	17	1.16（0.99~1.33）	2.49（1.94~2.54）	0.52（0.39~0.54）
网纹型OLP	15	1.42（1.26~1.62）*	3.10（2.48~3.91）*	0.48（0.38~0.58）
糜烂型OLP	18	2.43（1.69~2.67）*	3.20（2.36~3.94）*	0.79（0.60~0.94）*

指标	Th17细胞/%		Treg细胞/%		Th17/Treg
指标	r值	P值	r值	P值	r值	P值
体征计分	0.66	0.00*	0.11	0.53	0.52	0.00*
RAE计分	0.66	0.00*	0.10	0.58	0.50	0.00*

组别	例数	Foxp3	RORγt	RORγt/Foxp3
正常	13	0.04（0.02~0.05）	0.10（0.05~0.11）	2.49（1.57~4.17）
OLP	12	0.15（0.11~0.26）*	1.04（0.60~1.65）*	6.21（4.43~12.21）*