Objective To investigate the effects of Qi-Boosting Toxin-Resolving Formula (QBTRF) on CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and Th17 cells of patients with middle to late staged nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods Flow cytometry was performed to detect the ratio of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and Th17 cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC) among 18 patients with middle to late stage of NPC treated by QBTRF added to conventional therapy (treatment group), Foxp3 mRNA and ROR-γt mRNA in PMBC was determined by RT-PCR technique. Furthermore, serum levels of IL-6 and TGF-β were assayed by ELISA. Meanwhile, 15 patients with NPC treated by conventional therapy were taken as the control group. Results The ratio of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells to the total CD4+ T cells and the transcriptional level of Foxp3 mRNA in PMBC were significantly lower in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05), the ratio of Th17 cells to the total CD4+T cells and the transcriptional level of ROR-γt mRNA in PMBC were significantly higher in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05). However, the serum level of IL-6 was obviously higher in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05), and the serum leve of TGF-βwas obviously lower in treatment group than that of control group (P<0.05). Conclusion QBTRF can significantly affect the number ratio and functional activity of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and enforce the differentiation of Th17 cells among patients with middle to late staged NPC, which it may be reversed the immune tolerance of NPC through regulating the level of IL-6 and TGF-β.%目的：探讨益气解毒方对中晚期鼻咽癌患者外周血CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞和Th17细胞的影响。方法用流式细胞仪检测18例经益气解毒方加常规治疗的中晚期鼻咽癌患者(观察组)及l5例常规治疗的中晚期鼻咽癌患者(对照组)外周血CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞和Th17细胞比例,RT-PCR法检测Foxp3 mRNA和ROR-γt mRNA转录水平,ELISA法检测血清白细胞介素-6(IL-6)和转化生长因子-β(TGF-β)水平。结果观察组患者外周血中 CD4+CD25+调节性 T 细胞占 CD4+T 细胞的比例和 Foxp3 mRNA 的相对表达量均低于对照组(P＜0.05),而Th17细胞占CD4+T细胞的数量比例和ROR-γt mRNA的相对表达量均高于对照组(P＜0.05)；观察组患者血清IL-6水平高于对照组(P＜0.05),而TGF-β水平低于对照组(P＜0.05)。结论益气解毒方可影响中晚期鼻咽癌CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞的比例与功能,增强Th17细胞的分化,其机制可能是通过调节IL-6和TGF-β水平而逆转鼻咽癌免疫耐受。
展开▼
