Evaluation of immune response of IL-22 and IL-9 in patients with TYPE 1 diabetes mellitus

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus(T1DM) is a metabolic disease due to various mechanisms leading to pancreatic beta cell destruction. It is thought that the immune response of the subgroup of T lymphocytes, Th22, Th9, Tc22 and Tc9, can play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The disease is known as a process that occurs when the immune attack begins with pancreatic beta cells by disrupting the balance between these cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) obtained from the volunteers (n:20 patients with T1DM and n:10 healthy controls) participating in our study were cultured for 5 hours with PMA and ionomycin, Surface molecule expressions, intracellular IL-22 and IL-9 cytokine frequency of CD3+CD4+(T helper) and CD3+CD8+ cells(T cytotoxic) were evaluated by using flow cytometry as well as concentrations of plasma IL-22 and IL-9 cytokines. IL-22 and IL-9 gene expressions were analyzed by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) and calculated by the formula 2-ΔΔCt. When compared patient groups and healthy controls, Th22, Th9 cell percentage and IL-22 and IL-9 plasma concentrations were significantly higher in patients with T1DM than in healthy individuals (p<0.001, p=0.002, p=0.001, p=0.02, respectively). When IL-22 and IL-9 gene expressions were examined, it was observed that IL-22 gene expression was approximately 2 times higher in T1DM patients than in healthy subjects. Th22 cell frequency/concentration of plasma IL-22 correlation (p=0.011; R=0.456) showed a positive correlation. These results suggest that T cell subsets and their products, IL-22 and IL-9, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of T1DM.