Evaluation of the T helper 17 axis in ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract

To evaluate the T helper 17 (Th17) axis and its relation to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha blockage and disease activity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The study included 127 AS patients (100M/27F) and 38 (27M/11F) controls. Spinal mobility was assessed by the bath ankylosing spondylitis metrology index (BASMI). Patients were also evaluated with the bath ankylosing spondylitis functional (BASFI) and bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index. Cytokines including IL-6, IL-12, TGF-β, IL-17A, and IL-23 were measured in serum sample using commercially available ELISA kits. Cytokines including IL-6, IL-12, TGF-β, IL-17, and IL-23 were significantly higher in the AS patients than the controls (P < 0.05). The Th-17-related cytokines were not different between patients treated with anti-TNF and conventional therapies (P > 0.05). Cytokines were also similar between patients with active and inactive disease (P > 0.05). On correlation analysis, IL-17 was correlated with IL-23 and IL-12 (P < 0.05) and IL-23 showed correlations with IL-12 and BASMI (P < 0.05). We found serum levels of Th-17-related cytokines to be significantly increased in the sera of AS patients. Disease activity and treatment type did not affect the level of these cytokines.

Association of serum interleukin-17 and interleukin-23 levels with disease activity in Chinese patients with ankylosing spondylitis

“…25 Serum level of IL-6, a major cytokine related to ESR or CRP, 26 was reported significantly higher in AS patients and the level did not correlate with serum levels of IL-17 or IL-23. 27 Moreover, compared with other interfering factors of inflammatory biomarkers, the inflammation of AS, especially axial arthritis, might cause only mild elevation of the two acute phase reactants in some patients. This can be supported by the finding that there was much overlap of ESR or CRP levels between AS patients and normal controls in our data.…”

Association of T-Bet, GATA-3, RORC, and FOXP3 Copy Number Variations With Acute Anterior Uveitis With or Without Ankylosing Spondylitis in Chinese Han

“…41 A higher level of Th17 cells has been observed in peripheral blood of patients with AS in different ethnic groups including Chinese, [42][43][44] implying Th17 cells in the pathogenesis of AS. 45 The absence of an association with RORC-CN in our AS patients suggests that the copy number of this gene may not have a large effect on the function of this gene but functional experiments need to be performed to support this hypothesis. Gene copy number variations have been shown earlier to affect the predisposition to a variety of diseases and our study expands earlier observations concerning the association of CNVs with uveitis including IL-17F, IL-23A, and complement component C4.…”

Erythema elevatum diutinum coexisting with ankylosing spondylitis

“…AS is a chronic inflammatory disease of the axial skeleton, manifested by back pain and progressive stiffness of the spine (6). Skin lesions are quite rare in AS.…”