IL-17和TGF-β1在支气管哮喘患儿血清及支气管肺泡灌洗液中的变化及临床意义

目的：探讨白细胞介素-17（IL-17）和转化生长因子-β1（TGF-β1）在哮喘患儿血清和支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF）中的变化及临床意义。方法：56例哮喘患儿为哮喘组，依据病情严重程度分为中重度组（37例）和轻度组（19例）；18例非哮喘患儿为对照组。显微镜下计数各组BALF中细胞数，采用ELISA法检测血清与BALF中IL-17和TGF-β1含量。结果：中重度、轻度哮喘组患儿与对照组患儿BALF中细胞总数及巨噬细胞百分比的差异无统计学意义（P>0.05），中重度、轻度哮喘患儿与对照组患儿中性粒细胞、嗜酸性粒细胞及上皮细胞百分比差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；哮喘患儿血清与BALF中IL-17和TGF-β1水平较对照组高，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05），中重度哮喘患儿血清与BALF中IL-17和TGF-β1水平高于轻度哮喘患儿，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；哮喘患儿血清中IL-17和TGF-β1与相应的BALF中IL-17和TGF-β1呈正相关（均P<0.05），血清IL-17与BALF中中性粒细胞、嗜酸性粒细胞及上皮细胞百分比呈正相关（均P<0.05），血清中IL-17与TGF-β1亦呈正相关（P<0.05）。结论：哮喘患儿血清与BALF中IL-17和TGF-β1水平明显升高，IL-17、TGF-β1可能参与了哮喘的发生发展，在哮喘的急性发作与加重中起重要作用。

Changes in IL-17 and TGF-β1 levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and their clinical significance among children with asthma

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in the levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and their clinical significance among children with asthma. METHODS: Fifty-six children with asthma were divided into moderate or severe asthma (n=37) and mild asthma groups (n=19) and 18 children without asthma were selected as the control group. Cells in BALF were counted under a microscope. The levels of IL-17 and TGF-β1 in serum and BALF were measured using ELISA. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in total cell count and percentage of macrophages between the two asthma groups and the control group (P>0.05). The percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF were significantly higher in the two asthma groups than in the control group (P<0.05). The two asthma groups had significantly higher levels of IL-17 and TGF-β1 in serum and BALF than the control group (P<0.05), and the moderate or severe asthma group had significantly higher levels of IL-17 and TGF-β1 in serum and BALF than the mild asthma group (P<0.05). Levels of IL-17 and TGF-β1 in serum were significantly positively correlated with those in BALF (r=0.935 and 0.943, P<0.05 for both). In children with asthma, serum IL-17 level was significantly positively correlated with the percentage of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF (r=0.802, 0.799, and 0.674, P<0.05 for all), and a significant positive correlation was also seen between serum levels of IL-17 and TGF-β1 (r=0.878, P<0.05). CCONCLUSIONS: Levels of IL-17 and TGF-β1 in serum and BALF are elevated in children with asthma. IL-17 and TGF-β1 may be involved in the occurrence and development of asthma, and they play important roles in asthma attack and aggravation.