Elevated levels of Th17 cells in children with central obesity

It is believed that the recently discovered interleukin 17-producing Th17 cells play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation in the course of obesity and diabetes.

The purpose of our study was to complete data on this subject in children.

We assessed Th17 cell levels in the peripheral blood of children diagnosed with central obesity (n = 14) and compared the results with data obtained in patients with newly diagnosed (n = 11) and long-term type 1 diabetes mellitus (n = 18), and in a control group as well (n = 24).

(i) Children with central obesity were characterized by higher percentages of Th17 cells as compared to children from the control group; (ii) in the peripheral blood of patients with long-term type 1 diabetes the Th17 cell counts were higher compared to the control group; (iii) total plasma cholesterol concentration correlated positively with Th17/Treg cells ratio; and (iv) among patients with long-term diabetes, disease duration correlated positively with Th17 cell count and Th17/Th1 cell ratio.

The results of our study indicate that Th17 cells may be involved in chronic inflammation accompanying obesity and type 1 diabetes mellitus in children.