The PBMCs from patients with TM (n = 35), patients with TH (n = 30), patients with NT (n = 21) and HC (n = 32) were examined for the subset population, defined as the percentage of Th17 cells among total CD4+ T cells using flow cytometry. Summarized

data from all individuals indicated that the proportion of Th17 cells in TM group was significantly higher than those in HC group (1.49 ± 0.59% versus 0.99 ± 0.12%, P < 0.05) (Fig. 1A,B). There was no significant difference in the frequency of Th17 cells between TH group (1.38 ± 0.42%), NT group (1.08 ± 0.52%) and HC group (P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in the frequency of Th17 cells between TM group and TH group (P > 0.05). We also compared the number of the Treg cells in PBMCs in patients with MG to that in healthy subjects. The proportion of Treg cells in TM group (3.23 ± 0.64%) was lower than those in TH group (5.87 ± 0.51%, P < 0.05), NT group (6.27 ± 0.51%, P < 0.05) Proteasome inhibitor and HC group (6.21 ± 0.12%, P < 0.05) (Fig. 1C). There was no significant difference in the selleck inhibitor frequency of Treg cells between TH group, NT group and HC group (P > 0.05). The results suggested that increased number of Th17 cells and decreased number of Treg cells specifically correlate with MG patients with TM but

not all patients with MG. To further evaluate possible alterations in the expression of pro-Th17 genes in MG, we tested its mRNA levels in patients with MG and healthy subjects by using real-time quantitative PCR. The values were calculated as copy numbers of interesting genes in terms of house-keeping gene (β-actin). The relative quantification values (RQ values) of mRNA are shown in Fig. 2. The expression levels of IL-17 mRNA (23.1 ± 4.7) were upregulated significantly versus those in HC group (13.8 ± 3.0, P < 0.01). these As IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-23 were involved in the generation of human Th17 cells, we further detected their mRNA expression. The expression levels of IL-1β mRNA significantly

increased in TM group (7.3 ± 2.1) versus those in HC group (4.8 ± 1.6, P < 0.05). The expression levels of IL-6 mRNA increased in TM group (8.4 ± 1.9) versus those in HC group (4.9 ± 1.3, P < 0.05). The expression levels of IL-23 mRNA in TM group (18.4 ± 2.1) increased significantly versus those in HC group (11.3 ± 2.9, P < 0.05). No differences in expression levels of TGF-β1 mRNA were found (P > 0.05). We used ELISA to detect the Th17-related cytokine levels in serum. As shown in Fig. 3, the mean concentration of IL-17A was upregulated significantly in TM group (30.0 ± 7.2 pg/ml) versus HC group (20.0 ± 4.9 pg/ml, P < 0.05). Serum levels of IL-23 were always increased in TM group (208.0 ± 85.6 pg/ml) versus HC group (93 ± 48.3 pg/ml, P < 0.01). The expression of IL-1β in TM group (72.0 ± 34.5 pg/ml) and in TH group (86.0 ± 30.1 pg/ml) increased significantly versus those in HC group (45 ± 25.3 pg/ml, P < 0.05).