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Updated: Jul 1, 2025
Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
IL-17-producing cells in ankylosing spondylitis patients show gender-based differences in gene expression
Chan Mi Lee1, Ernest Ricky Chan2, Darerian Schueller3
1University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Objectives:
Gender has been shown to impact disease expression in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and Th17 cells play a key role in AS pathogenesis. To better understand what Th17-associated immune pathways are different between men and women, we compared the transcriptome of IL-17-enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in male and female AS patients, with a particular focus on inflammatory cytokine genes.
Methods:
PBMCs were collected from 10 female and 11 male AS patients at the Clinical Research Unit of MetroHealth Medical Center. IL-17-enriched PBMCs were isolated and stimulated with CytoStim. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on the samples, and the data were analysed using iPathwayGuide. Inflammatory markers and genes related to Th17 differentiation and function were identified based on previous studies.
Results:
RNA-seq identified 12,893 genes with 2,851 genes with p-values <0.05 with distinct patterns of gene expression between male and female AS patients. TGF-β, PGE2, and S100 proteins were significantly upregulated in males. Levels of IL-12B, a Th17 inducer, were lower in males compared to females. Additionally, receptors of IL-6, 12, 23, TGF-β, and PGE2 were downregulated in males, except for IL-17RC, which was upregulated. Genes involved in Th17 differentiation showed differential expression between genders, with elevated expression of BATF, SOCS1, NKD2, and ARID5A in men and decreased expression of FOXO1.
Conclusions:
Transcriptomic analysis revealed that male AS patients exhibit distinct expression patterns of IL-17 pro-inflammatory genes, which may contribute to the phenotypic differences observed between genders in AS.
