Serum levels of IL-۱۷A increase in Asthma but not in accordance with Serum level of IgE and Asthma Severity

Background and Aims: Recent evidence suggests that T helper (Th) ۱۷ cells are involved in the emergence of asthma. Th۱۷ cells have a key role in inducing inflammation in asthmatic airways thus Interleukin (IL)-۱۷A, the main cytokine of Th۱۷, contributes to airways inflammation. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the level of IL-۱۷A and total immunoglobulin E (IgE) in sera of ۱۰۰ asthmatic patients and ۸۱ healthy controls by ELISA to determine how serum concentration of IL-۱۷A is associated with asthma severity. We classified patients into three groups mild (n=۲۸), moderate (n=۳۳) and severe cases (n=۳۹). Results: Respectively, serum IL-۱۷A and IgE concentrations were significantly higher in the asthmatic patients than the control group (p=۰.۰۲۶ and p<۰.۰۱). Mean of serum IL-۱۷A and IgE values were ۳۷.۷۳ pg/ml and ۳۹.۰۲ IU/ml in the control group and ۶۸.۵۵ pg/ml and ۲۹۵.۸۷ IU/ml in the patients group. Nevertheless there were non-significant differences between the three groups of asthmatic patients. Respectively, mean of serum IL-۱۷A and IgE values were ۹۴.۱۷ pg/ml and ۲۵۵.۰۷ IU/ml in the mild group, ۷۱.۲۹ pg/ml and ۲۷۱.۲۷ IU/ml in the moderate group, and ۴۷.۸۵ pg/ml and ۳۴۵.۹۷ IU/ml in the severe group. Moreover, there was no correlation between serum levels of IL-۱۷A and IgE. Conclusions: In this study we found that IL-۱۷A, like IgE, rises in sera of asthmatic patients though in a different manner. IgE increases in serum consistent with disease severity though the increases of IL-۱۷A in serum has an inverse relationship with IgE rising.