Increased frequencies of Th17 and Th22 cells in the peripheral blood of patients with secondary syphilis

Zhu, An-You; Han, Hao; Zhao, Hao; Hu, Jianguo; Jiang, Congjun; Xie, Fang; Wang, Fengchao

doi:10.1111/j.1574-695x.2012.01007.x

Cited by 14 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Previous studies reported an increase of IL-17 in secondary syphilitic lesion and peripheral blood [13], [14]. Recently, Pastuszczak et al also showed elevated CSF IL-17 levels in early asymptomatic neurosyphilis [15], suggesting that IL-17 may be involved in local immune response to T. pallidum infection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Increased Interleukin-17 in Peripheral Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Neurosyphilis Patients

et al. 2014

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Background Treponema pallidum infection evokes vigorous immune responses, resulting in tissue damage. Several studies have demonstrated that IL-17 may be involved in the pathogenesis of syphilis. However, the role of Th17 response in neurosyphilis remains unclear.Methodology/Principal FindingsIn this study, Th17 in peripheral blood from 103 neurosyphilis patients, 69 syphilis patients without neurological involvement, and 70 healthy donors were analyzed by flow cytometry. The level of IL-17 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was quantified by ELISA. One-year follow up for 44 neurosyphilis patients was further monitored to investigate the role of Th17/IL-17 in neurosyphilis. We found that the frequency of Th17 cells was significantly increased in peripheral blood of patients with neurosyphilis, in comparison to healthy donors. IL-17 in CSF were detected from 55.3% neurosyphilis patients (in average of 2.29 (0–59.83) pg/ml), especially in those with symptomatic neurosyphilis (61.9%). CSF IL-17 was predominantly derived from Th17 cells in neurosyphilis patients. Levels of IL-17 in CSF of neurosyphilis patients were positively associated with total CSF protein levels and CSF VDRL (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory) titers. Notably, neurosyphilis patients with undetectable CSF IL-17 were more likely to confer to CSF VDRL negative after treatment.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that Th17 response may be involved in central nervous system damage and associated with clinical symptoms in neurosyphilis patients. Th17/IL-17 may be used as an alternative surrogate marker for assessing the efficacy of clinical treatment of neurosyphilis patients.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Increased Interleukin-17 in Peripheral Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Neurosyphilis Patients

et al. 2014

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“…Previous studies have shown that IL-17 levels in the peripheral blood or central nervous system (CFS) increase in patients with asymptomatic neurosyphilis and secondary syphilis, possibly as part of the immune response to T. palladium infection ( 19 , 20 , 27 , 45 ). γδ T cells are a major source of IL-17, which is involved in inflammation and immune response ( 46 , 47 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…IL-17, an inflammatory cytokine, has two principal effects: host protection and immunopathogenesis, with high levels leading to cancer progression and autoimmune diseases ( 62 ). Plasma IL-17 concentration increases in secondary syphilis, possibly as part of the immune response ( 20 , 45 ). Syphilis also affects the liver, where it may cause syphilitic hepatitis or hepatic inflammatory tumors in HIV-1-positive MSM ( 63 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Syphilis Infection Differentially Regulates the Phenotype and Function of γδ T Cells in HIV-1-Infected Patients Depends on the HIV-1 Disease Stage

et al. 2017

Front. Immunol.

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A rapidly escalating outbreak of syphilis infection has been affected men who have sex with men, particularly those with HIV-1 infection. γδ T cells are unconventional immune cells with two main subsets, Vδ1 T cells and Vδ2 T cells, which possess a combination of innate and adaptive immune features allowing them against HIV-1. However, whether syphilis infection affects the phenotype and function of γδ T cells in HIV-1-infected patients remains unclear, especially in acute HIV-1 infection (AHI). In this study, we enrolled 57 HIV-1-infected patients (24 with HIV-1 infection only and 33 coinfected with syphilis) from an acute HIV-1-infected cohort in Beijing (PRIMO). A comprehensive analysis of γδ T-cell phenotype and function was performed by flow cytometry. We found syphilis coinfection could reverse the imbalance of Vδ1/Vδ2 ratio in AHI. Syphilis infection results in decreased γδ T-cell activation in AHI, but increased γδ T-cell activation in chronic HIV-1 infection (CHI). Moreover, patients with CHI had larger numbers of IL-17-producing γδ T cells than those with AHI, regardless of syphilis status. Thus, syphilis affected the γδ T-cell immune response differently in patients depending on the stages of HIV-1 disease. In addition, the percentage of IL-17-producing γδ T cells was positively correlated with the percentage of neutrophils. These results suggest that the γδ T-cell/IL-17/neutrophil axis is involved in HIV-1 pathogenesis and disease progression. Taken together, our observations provide new insight into the roles of γδ T cells in immunopathogenesis of syphilis and HIV-1 coinfection, particularly during AHI, and our findings may be helpful for the prevention of syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections and highlight the great significance on the remedy of patients coinfected with HIV-1.

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“…Although various theories concerning the formative cause of sero-resistance have been posited, the exact pathogenesis remains unknown. In previously conducted clinical studies on immunologic changes to patients with primary syphilis, secondary syphilis, latent syphilis, as well as patients with sero-resistance syphilis ( 2 – 4 ), it was identified that in various immunological indicators, CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T (Treg) cells showed more specific changes in patients with sero-resistance and whose proportion of CD4 + CD25 + Treg cells was obviously higher than those in other syphilitic groups ( 3 ). It has been suggested that Treg cells may play an important role in the process of sero-resistance formation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Equilibrium of Treg/Th17 cells of peripheral blood in syphilitic patients with sero-resistance

Zhao¹,

Ma²,

Zhang³

et al. 2016

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

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The aim of the present study was to examine changes of cellular homeostasis in regulatory T (Treg) and T helper 17 (Th17) cells by detecting the proportion of Treg and Th17 cells of peripheral blood, as well as the expression of specific transcription factors in these two types of cells, in syphilitic patients with sero-resistance. A total of 49 subjects were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups, comprising 26 cases of sero-resistant syphilitic patients in the experimental group, and 23 cases of healthy donors in the normal control group. Flow cytometry was applied to examine the proportion of Treg and Th17 cells, as well as the quantitative expression of relevant specific transcription factors [forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) and retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt (ROR-γt)] in the two groups. A correlation analysis was subsequently performed. The results showed that in syphilitic patients with sero-resistance, the proportion of peripheral blood Treg cells was obviously higher than that of the normal control group (p<0.01) and the proportion of Th17 cells was significantly lower than that of the normal control group (p<0.01). In addition, the expression of transcription factor Foxp3 in CD4+ T cells was higher than that of the normal control group, while the expression of ROR-γt was lower than that of the normal control (p<0.05). The expression of Foxp3 and ROR-γt in peripheral blood CD4+ T cells had a negative correlation (r=−0.481, p<0.01). In conclusion, the peripheral blood of syphilitic patients with sero-resistance may have abnormalities in Treg/Th17 cellular balance.

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Increased frequencies of Th17 and Th22 cells in the peripheral blood of patients with secondary syphilis

Cited by 14 publications

References 31 publications

Increased Interleukin-17 in Peripheral Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Neurosyphilis Patients

Increased Interleukin-17 in Peripheral Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Neurosyphilis Patients

Syphilis Infection Differentially Regulates the Phenotype and Function of γδ T Cells in HIV-1-Infected Patients Depends on the HIV-1 Disease Stage

Equilibrium of Treg/Th17 cells of peripheral blood in syphilitic patients with sero-resistance

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