关键词: 类风湿关节炎, IL-17, IL-23, AhR, 疾病活动度

Abstract: Objective To observe the expression level of aroma receptor (AhR) and Th17 related cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis and its predictive value to disease. Methods Sixty patients with RA who were treated in our hospital from January 2014 to December 2015 were selected as the observation group. Sixty healthy subjects were randomly selected as the control group. IL-17, IL-23 and AhR levels in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent and the relationship between IL-17, IL-23 and disease activity were analyzed. Results IL-17, IL-23 and AhR levels in serum of RA patients were significantly higher than those in controls (P<0.05). However, the levels of IL-17, IL-23 and AhR levels were significantly higher in the non- early RA group than in the early group (P<0.05), depending on the severity of the disease. There was a positive correlation between serum IL-17 level and disease activity index except CRP (P<0.05). IL-23 level was positively correlated with SJC, TJC, HAQ and DAS28 scores (P<0.05), but no significant correlation was found between other indexes (P>0.05). The expression level of AhR in PBMC of RA patients was not correlated with clinical indexes (P>0.05). IL-17 and IL-23 levels were positively correlated with Sharp score (r=0.895, P<0.01; r=0.708, P<0.01). The expression of AhR was positively correlated with serum IL-17 and IL-23 levels (r=0.415, P<0.01). The expression of AhR and its downstream factors CYP1A1, IL-17 and FOXP3 mRNA in RA patients were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05) by fluorescence quantitative PCR. The expression of AhR and its downstream factors CYP1A1, IL-17 and FOXP3 mRNA in RA group were significantly higher than those in early group (P<0.05). The expression level of AhR and its downstream factors CYP1A1, IL-17 and FOXP3 mRNA in RA patients were positively correlated with Sharp scores (r=0.715, P<0.01; r=0.734, P<0.01; r=0.812, P<0.01; r=0.755, P<0.01). Conclusion The Th17-related cytokines IL-17 and IL-23 play an important role in the pathophysiology of RA, and the expression of Th17-associated cytokines is increased, suggesting that arthritis is active and bone destruction is serious. The AhR protein and its associated downstream signaling pathways are highly expressed in RA patients, and the AhR pathway may play a key role in the pathogenesis of RA patients.

Key words: Rheumatoid arthritis, IL-17, IL-23, AhR, Disease activity