Th22细胞及血清IL-22水平与狼疮性肾炎患者疾病活动度评分的相关性

Correlation of Th22 cells and serum IL-22 levels with disease activity score in patients with lupus nephritis

摘要:

目的 初步探索狼疮性肾炎（LN）患者外周血Th22细胞及血清白细胞介素22（IL-22）的表达，及其与系统性红斑狼疮疾病活动度评分（SLEDAI）的相关性。方法 该研究纳入健康志愿者作为健康对照组（HC组）10例，LN组20例，系统性红斑狼疮（但肾脏未受到侵袭）SLE组20例，通过流式细胞术检测各组淋巴细胞亚群Th1和Th22水平，酶联免疫吸附试验检测各组血清IL-22水平，并分析LN患者IL-22与Th22的相关性，以及两项指标与SLEDAI评分的相关性。结果 LN组和SLE组的C反应蛋白、红细胞沉降率及免疫球蛋白高于HC组（P <0.05），血清补体C3和C4低于HC组（P <0.05）。3组Th1比较，差异无统计学意义（P >0.05）；LN组和SLE组Th22、IL-22水平高于HC组（P <0.05），但LN组与SLE组的Th22、IL-22水平比较，差异无统计学意义（P >0.05）。LN患者Th22与IL-22水平呈正相关（r =0.804，P =0.002），且Th22、IL-22与SLEDAI评分呈正相关（r =0.342和0.448，P =0.032和0.016）。结论 Th22、IL-22参与SLE和LN的发病，同时LN患者Th22与IL-22水平呈正相关，且均与SLEDAI评分呈正相关。

Abstract:

Objective To preliminarily explore the frequency of T-helper 22 (Th22) cells in the peripheral blood and the serum level of interleukin-22 (IL-22) in patients with lupus nephritis (LN) and their correlation with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI).Methods In our study, 10 healthy people were assigned into the healthy control group (HC group), 20 patients with LN the LN group, and 20 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but intact kidneys the SLE group. The frequency of Th1 and Th22 cells was detected by flow cytometry, and the serum level of IL-22 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the level of IL-22 and the frequency of Th22 cells in LN group, as well as the relationship between the two and SLEDAI.Results The levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and immunoglobulin in LN group and SLE group were significantly higher than those in HC group, while the serum levels of complement component 3 (C3) and 4 (C4) were significantly lower in the LN group and SLE group compared with the HC group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the frequency of Th1 cells among the three groups (P > 0.05). The frequency of Th22 cells and the level of IL-22 in LN group and SLE group were higher than those in HC group (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the frequency of Th22 cells and the level of IL-22 between LN group and SLE group (P > 0.05). In addition, there was a positive correlation between the level of IL-22 and the frequency of Th22 cells in LN patients (r = 0.804, P = 0.002), and they were also positively correlated with SLEDAI score (r = 0.342 and 0.448, P = 0.032 and 0.016).Conclusions Th22 cells and IL-22 are involved in the development of SLE and LN, and both of them are positively correlated with SLEDAI score.