Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
08:02
Th17 Inflammation Model of Oropharyngeal Candidiasis in Immunodeficient Mice
Published on: February 18, 2015
Circulating Th17 cells are not elevated in patients with chronic heart failure
Zheng-Feng Zhu1, Jing-Jing Li, Juan Liu
1The Laboratory of Cardiovascular Immunology, Institute of Cardiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal : SCJ
|June 5, 2012
Summary
This study found no significant increase in T helper 17 (Th17) cells or their associated cytokine, Interleukin-17 (IL-17), in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). These findings suggest Th17 cells do not play a major role in CHF pathogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cardiology
- Inflammation Research
Background:
- Immune activation and inflammation are implicated in chronic heart failure (CHF) pathogenesis.
- T helper 17 (Th17) cells are a recently identified pro-inflammatory T cell subset.
- The role of Th17 cells in CHF requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that circulating Th17 cells and their cytokine, IL-17, are elevated in patients with CHF.
- To determine if Th17 cell frequency and IL-17 levels differ between CHF patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Flow cytometry was used to quantify circulating Th17 cell frequencies.
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measured IL-17 protein levels in serum and stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
- RT-PCR assessed the mRNA expression of RORγt, a key transcription factor for Th17 cells.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed in circulating Th17 cell frequencies between CHF patients and healthy controls.
- Serum IL-17 levels and RORγt mRNA expression in PBMCs did not differ between the groups.
- IL-17 protein levels in PHA-stimulated PBMCs were comparable in both CHF patients and healthy donors.
Conclusions:
- Circulating Th17 cells are not elevated in patients with chronic heart failure.
- The study does not support a significant role for Th17 cells in the pathophysiology of CHF based on current markers.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:17Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
01:29Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology
Systolic Heart Failure and Compensatory MechanismsSystolic heart failure (also termed HFrEF, Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) is the most prevalent type of heart filure. It results in a decreased volume of blood being pumped from the ventricle. The aortic arch and carotid sinuses have baroreceptors that detect reduced blood pressure, triggering the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to release epinephrine and norepinephrine. Initially, this response aims to boost heart rate and...
01:26Imbalances in Cardiac Output
The heart's primary function is to pump blood throughout the body, maintaining a balance between blood sent out (cardiac output) and blood returning (venous return). If this balance is disrupted, it can result in congestive heart failure (CHF), a severe condition where the heart becomes an inefficient pump, leading to inadequate blood circulation.
CHF can occur due to the failure of either side of the heart. Left-side failure leads to pulmonary congestion—the right side continues to send blood...
CHF can occur due to the failure of either side of the heart. Left-side failure leads to pulmonary congestion—the right side continues to send blood...
01:27Heart Failure I: Introduction
Heart failure refers to a clinical syndrome caused by structural or functional cardiac disorders that prevent the heart from pumping an adequate amount of blood to meet the body's metabolic needs. This condition often arises from myocardial infarction or ischemia, leading to decreased cardiac output, reduced tissue perfusion, impaired gas exchange, fluid volume imbalance, and decreased functional ability.Heart failure can result from disruptions in the mechanisms that regulate cardiac output...
01:22Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies
Additional therapies for treating patients with heart failure (HF) may include procedural interventions, supplemental oxygen, the management of sleep disorders, and nutritional therapy.Procedural InterventionsImplantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator: For patients at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias due to severe left ventricular dysfunction, an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) can detect and terminate these arrhythmias, preventing sudden cardiac death and improving survival rates.
01:26Heart Failure III: Clinical Manifestations
Heart failure (HF) manifests primarily as dyspnea, fatigue, and fluid retention, resulting in peripheral and pulmonary edema. Symptoms may vary depending on which ventricle is more affected, left or right.Left-Sided Heart FailureAlso known as left ventricular failure, this condition results from the left ventricle's inability to fill or eject sufficient blood into the systemic circulation. It leads to pulmonary congestion, which occurs when the left ventricle fails to eject blood effectively...