CLINICAL EXPRESSION OF Th17 RELATED CYTOKINESIN ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA PATIENTS: A PROSPECTIVE DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological neoplasm that affects adults of all ages and accounts for 1-2% of malignancies worldwide. T- cell function is significantly impaired in AML patients. Increasing evidence states that a recently identified subtype of CD4 + T cells called T helper 17(Th17) is associated with the pathogenesis of AML.

Aim: This study aims to estimate the concentration of Th 17 related cytokines IL-23 and IL-17 in the plasma samples diagnosed with AML and to assess their clinical value in the prognosis of AML.

Methods: This study includes 31 patients who were newly diagnosed with AML. Similarly, 21 healthy subjects were selected for normal control group. After two courses of induction chemotherapy 22 patients achieved complete remission (CR), whereas 9 patients failed to achieve CR. IL-23 and IL-17 plasma levels were measured using ELISA kits.

Results: The IL-23 and IL-17  plasma levels in the newly diagnosed group were significantly higher than the CR and control group. Similarly, after two courses of standard chemotherapy, the IL-23 and IL-17 expression levels in the non-remission (NR) group were also much higher than in the CR and control group. No significant differences in the expression of IL-23 and IL-17 between CR and control groups were found. In AML patients, a significant positive correlation was found between IL-23 and IL-17.

Conclusion: The IL-23 and IL-17 plasma levels correlate with the progression of AML, which may express clinical significance in the prognosis and therapeutic evaluation of AML.