Changes in Th17 and IL-17 levels during acute rejection after mouse skin transplantation

H.-L. Zheng, B.-Y. Shi, G.-S. Du, Z. Wang

Organ Transplantation Center, the 309 Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China. shibingyi@medmail.com.cn

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• Immunology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the fluctuation patterns of Th17 and IL-17 cytokines during acute skin graft rejection in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preparations for mouse skin transplantation model. At days 1, 3, 5, and 7 post-grafting, the number of Th17 cells in the spleens was quantified by flow cytometry (FCM); IL-17 mRNA expression in the spleens and the skin grafts were analyzed by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Serum IL-17 levels were determined by enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS: The number of Th17 cells in the spleens gradually increased and peaked at day 7 post-grafting. IL-17 mRNA expression in the skin was strongest at day 5 post-grafting. IL-17 levels in peripheral blood was highest at day 5 post-grafting.

CONCLUSIONS: Acute rejection of allogeneic skin grafts in mice may correlate with the number of Th17 lymphocytes and the secretion of cytokine IL-17. Th17 cell count and IL-17 level may serve as important reference indices for early rejection reactions after skin grafting.

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