Clinical immunology
Comparison of interleukin 17 family protein expression in neutrophils of patients with oral inflammation and patients with cancer disease of the same location

Current data indicate the involvement of the interleukin 17 (IL-17) family of cytokines both in the inflammatory and neoplastic processes. Among the family members, IL-17A and IL-17E seem to play a special role, showing different biological activities via their specific receptors IL-17R and IL-17BR. The comparison of the expression of IL-17 cytokines between leukocytes of patients with inflammation and leukocytes of those with neoplasia of the same location may elucidate their involvement in these two pathologies. The study was conducted in a group of 30 patients with perimaxillary inflammation and 32 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The control group consisted of 15 healthy subjects. The expressions of IL-17E, IL-17A, IL-17BR and IL-17R in PMN and PBMC lysates were assessed by Western blot. The levels of IL-17E and IL-17A in cell supernatants and in serum were determined using the ELISA method. The expression and secretion of IL-17E, IL-17A and the expression of their receptors IL-17BR and IL-17R were higher in the leukocytes of patients with inflammation than in carcinoma patients. In the inflammatory patients, the expressions and secretion of IL-17E and IL-17A were higher in newtrophils (PMN) than in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC). The expressions of IL-17A and IL-17R were increased as compared to IL-17E and IL-17BR in the cells studied. A correlation was found between the levels of IL-17A in PMN supernatants and in the serum of patients with inflammation. The changes observed in the expression of the IL-17 family of cytokines and receptors are more characteristic of the inflammatory process and of neutrophils, which indicates greater involvement of these cells and the cytokines in the inflammatory process than in the neoplastic process occurring at the same location.