Th17 related cytokines in asthma and relation with disease severity

Airway inflammation is one of the basic characteristics of asthma but the relation between intensity of inflammation and disease severity has not clearly defined. We aimed to investigate the levels of Thl7 related cytokines which are thought to be related with inflammation in asthmatic patients, and the relation between these cytokines and pulmonary function parameters, asthma control test (ACT) scores.Sixty asthma patients, 20 healthy subjects were inrolled into the study. Asthma patients divided into 3 groups upon to their control; "full control", "partial control", ituncontroI". Serum levels of TNF-a, TGF-p, IL-6, IL-17A, IL- 17F, 1L-21, IL-22, and IL-23 were evaluated, and pulmonary function tests of all subjects were done.Cytokine levels, except IL-23, of asthma patients were significantly higher than control group (for TNF-a p-0.004, for TGF-p p= 0.01, for IL-6 p=0.000, for 1L-17 p=0.000, for IL-17F p= 0.008, for IL-21 p= 0.000, for IL-22 p= 0.015). Significant negative correlation was seen between ACT scores and IL-6, IL-21, ?L-23 levels (r=-0.364, p=0.004, rMX295, p=0.022. r=~0.546, p=0.000, respectively), A positive correlation was determined between AC f scores and FEVj values (r^0.520, p=0,000). When the relation between cytokine levels and FEVj values are evaluated, it was seen that IL-6 and IL-21 levels were negatively eorrelated with FEVj values (r=-0.30, p=0.017, r=-0.36, p=0.004 respectively).In conclusion, we determined that Thl7 related cytokine levels were markedly increased in, especially, uncontrolled asthma patients. We think that a theraphy targeted the Thl7 cytokines can be useful in severe asthma patients with neutrophilic inflammation, and steroid resistance.Key words: Asthma, Thl7 cell, asthma control test