The Study of a Possible Correlation between Serum Levels of Interleukin 17 and Clinical Severity in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract

Introduction Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common allergic diseases, which affects ~20% of the world's population. T-helper (Th) type 2 cells produce interleukin (IL) 4 and IL-13, and mediate allergic responses, and these cytokines have been extensively studied as key players in the atopic airway diseases. However, the involvement of Th17 cells and IL-17 in AR has not been clearly examined. Aim To reevaluate AR clinical severity with serum IL-17, whether IL-17 affects the disease alone or in contribution with the atopic predisposition. Patients and Methods During an 18-month period, 39 individuals were divided into three groups: A, (13 control), B (13 with mild-to-moderate AR), and C (13 with severe AR). Both group B and group C patients (26) were subjected to clinical examination and allergy skin testing, and to measurement of both total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and IL-17 levels. Eleven patients with AR then were exposed to 6 months of cluster immunotherapy, whereas the rest of the patients were not exposed. Results Revealed a significant elevation of serum IL-17 levels with an associated increase in serum IgE in the patients with AR compared with controls and revealed that the serum levels of both total serum IgE and IL-17 decreased significantly after cluster immunotherapy. Conclusion These preliminary results added new data about the use of injective immunotherapy as well as reported on the use of sublingual immunotherapy.