Relationships between miR-124 expression and Th17 Treg cells or related cytokines in patients with psoriasis vulgaris

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlations of miR-124 expression with Th17 Treg cells or related cytokines in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Methods Peripheral blood samples were collected from 100 patients with psoriasis vulgaris, including 43 cases at progressive stage and 53 cases at stable stage, and 50 healthy subjects. The expression levels of miR-124 in each group were measured by PCR, while the numbers of Th17 and Treg cells were assessed by flow cytometry. The levels of cytokines in each group were measured by double antibody sandwich ELISA. RT-PCR was used to measure expression levels of ROR-γt mRNA and Foxp3 mRNA. The correlations between the expression levels of miR-124 and Th17 Treg cells or related cytokines were analyzed. Results The expression levels of miR-124 in both progressive and stable psoriasis groups were lower than those in the controls (P<0.05). The proportions of Th17 and Treg, and Th17/Treg ratio in the controls were (0.64±0.31)%, (5.11±1.45)% and (0.13±0.05) respectively, which were lower than those in the progressive and stable psoriasis groups (all P<0.05). The levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-17, IL-21 and IL-23 were higher in both progressive and stable psoriasis groups than those in the controls (all P<0.05). In contrast, TGF levels were higher in the controls than those in either progressive[(476.52±34.42) pg/mL] or stable psoriatic patients[(471.10±52.39) pg/mL] (P<0.05). Similarly, expression levels of ROR-γt mRNA (9.14±2.98) and Foxp3 mRNA (2.45±0.97) in the controls were higher than those in both progressive and stable psoriasis groups (all P<0.05). Expression levels of miR-124 were not correlated with either Th17 or Treg in the controls (r=0.30, P=0.542; r=0.35, P=0.612). However, the levels of miR-124 were correlated with both Th17 or Treg in patients with either progressive or stable psoriasis (P<0.05). Circulatory levels of IFN-γ, TGF-β, IL-17, IL-21 and IL-23 were correlated with expression levels of miR-124 in psoriatic patients (P<0.05). Conclusions The imbalance of Th17 and Treg cell differentiation in patients with psoriasis vulgaris is associated with the expression levels of miR-124. Decreased miR-124 expression may be a factor contributing to the development and progression of psoriasis vulgaris.

Keywords

• psoriasis vulgaris
• mir-124
• th17 treg cells
• cytokines