Elevated IL-17A and IL-22 regulate expression of inducible CD38 and Zap-70 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Background: In this study, we investigated the role and expression of interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-22 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Methods: We evaluated the expression of markers above on CLL by ELISA, qRT-PCR, flow cytometric analysis and nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test.

Results: Quantitative RT-PCR revealed that the mRNA levels of IL-17A and IL-22 in PBMCs of CLL patients were upregulated compared with those from healthy subjects (mean ± SD: 1.96 ± 0.232 vs.0.72 ± 0.15, P < 0.001 and mean ± SD: 2.45 ± 0.534 vs.0.81 ± 0.26, P < 0.001, respectivily). In addition, findings showed that the IL-17A and IL-22 plasma level was significantly elevated than that from healthy control group (P < 0.001). The median IL-17A and IL-22 in CLL patients and healthy control group were 48.28 ± 17.2 pg mL^-1 ; 20.01 ± 11.16 pg mL^-1 and 58.68 ± 23.4 pg mL^-1 ;16.47 ± 10.31 P < 0.001, respectively. The levels of IL-17A and IL-22 was not significantly associated with the different stages of disease (Rai stages; Kruskal-Wallis test P > 0.05).No significant relationship was found between expression of CD38 and higher median serum levels of IL-17A in patients, but patients with negative expression of ZAP-70 showed a significant association with higher median serum levels of IL-17A compared with healthy subjects. (57.84 pg mL^-1 vs. 31.67 pg mL^-1 ; P = 0.016).

Conclusion: IL-22 is elevated and associated with CD38 and Zap-70 expression in patients with CLL. No significant correlation was found between expression of CD38 and increased levels of IL-17A, negative expression of ZAP-70 showed a significant association with increased levels of IL-17A. © 2016 International Clinical Cytometry Society.