尖锐湿疣患者外周血及皮损组织Th17/Treg及相关因子表达研究OA

Objective To analyze the distribution characteristics of T helper 17(Th17)cells and regulatory T(Treg)cells as well as the expression of related factors in peripheral blood and lesion tissues of patients with condyloma acuminatum(CA).Methods Twenty female patients with CA admitted to the Department of Gynecology,Zhejiang Provincial Dermatology Hospital from January to December 2023 were retrospectively enrolled(the CA group),while 20 healthy women who underwent vulvar plastic surgery in the Department of Plastic Surgery during the same period were also enrolled(the control group).Preoperative venous blood samples and surgically resected tissue specimens were collected from all participants.Flow cytometry was used to determine the proportions of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was performed to quantify the levels of interleukin(IL)-17 and IL-10 in peripheral blood.Double-immunofluorescence staining was applied to compare the densities of Th17 and Treg cells in lesion tissues from CA patients and normal vulvar tissues obtained from control subjects.Immunohistochemical staining was used to evaluate the protein expression of Th17-related factors[IL-17 and retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt(RORγt)]and Treg-related factors[forkhead box protein P3(Foxp3)and IL-10]in lesion tissues and normal vulvar tissues,and histological scoring was adopted to quantify the intergroup differences in expression.Results Compared with the control group,the CA group showed significantly decreased proportions of peripheral blood Th 17 cells,a reduced Th17/Treg ratio and a lower IL-17 level(all P＜0.05),while the proportion of Treg cells and the IL-10 level were significantly increased(both P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,lesion tissues of CA patients exhibited reduced density of Th17 cells(P＜0.05)and elevated density of Treg cells(P＜0.05).The histological scores of IL-17 and RORγt in lesion tissues were significantly decreased(both P＜0.05),whereas the histological scores of Foxp3 and IL-10 were significantly elevated(both P＜0.05).Conclusion A Th17/Treg immune imbalance exists in both peripheral blood and lesion tissues of patients with CA,characterized by downregulation of Th17 cells and related factors,together with upregulation of Treg cells and their related factors.This imbalance may be a key mechanism by which human papillomavirus evades host immune clearance,thereby contributing to the occurrence,progression and recurrence of CA.