The relationship between TLR4, JAK3 gene expression and Th17/Treg imbalance in peripheral blood of patients with ankylosing spondylitis

doi:10.11958/20240195

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective To explore the relationship between the expression of Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) and Janus protein tyrosine kinase 3 (JAK3) genes and the imbalance of helper T cell 17 (Th17)/regulatory T cells (Treg) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods A total of 101 AS patients were selected as the AS group. According to the AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) score, patients were divided into the AS stable phase (ASS) group (<4 points, 42 cases) and the AS active phase (ASA) group (≥ 4 points, 59 cases). Additionally, 50 healthy volunteers who underwent physical examinations at our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group (health group). Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to determine the mRNA expression of TLR4 and JAK3 in PBMCs, and the proportion of serum Th17 and Treg was measured and Th17/Treg levels were calculated. Results The levels of TLR4 mRNA and JAK3 mRNA in PBMCs of peripheral blood were higher in the AS group than those in the health group (P<0.05). The levels of Th17, proportion and Th17/Treg in peripheral blood were higher in the AS group than those of the health group (P<0.05). Higher levels of TLR4 mRNA, JAK3 mRNA, Th17, and Th17/Treg were risk factors for AS, while higher level of Treg was protective factors for AS. TLR4 mRNA and JAK3 mRNA in AS patients were positively correlated with Th17 ratio and Th17/Treg ratio, and negatively correlated with Treg ratio (P<0.05). Conclusion TLR4 and JAK3 genes are highly expressed and Th17/Treg is unbalanced in PBMC of AS patients. The high expression of TLR4 and JAK3 genes is closely related to Th17/Treg imbalance in AS patients.

Key words: spondylitis, ankylosing, monocytes, Toll-like receptor 4, Janus kinase 3, Th17/Treg imbalance

CLC Number:

R743.3

Figures/Tables 4

References 20

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组别	n	年龄/岁	性别（男/女）	BMI/（kg/m²）
健康组	50	40.48±4.85	35/15	22.09±0.52
AS组	101	41.03±3.89	77/24	22.06±0.53
t或χ²		0.752	0.679	0.329

组别	n	年龄/岁	性别（男/女）	BMI/（kg/m²）
健康组	50	40.48±4.85	35/15	22.09±0.52
AS组	101	41.03±3.89	77/24	22.06±0.53
t或χ²		0.752	0.679	0.329

组别	n	TLR4 mRNA	JAK3 mRNA
健康组	50	1.57±0.53	1.34±0.51
AS组	101	2.69±0.71	1.99±0.51
t		9.869^＊＊	7.371^＊＊

组别	n	TLR4 mRNA	JAK3 mRNA
健康组	50	1.57±0.53	1.34±0.51
AS组	101	2.69±0.71	1.99±0.51
t		9.869^＊＊	7.371^＊＊

组别	n	Th17/%	Treg/%	Th17/Treg
健康组	50	0.61±0.06	8.90±1.05	0.07±0.01
AS组	101	1.15±0.15	4.60±0.47	0.25±0.04
t		24.472^＊＊	34.793^＊＊	31.291^＊＊