Analysis of the correlation between IL-23, IL-17and β-cell function in latent autoimmune diabetes in adult patients

Objective To determine interleukin (IL)-23 and IL-17 level in latent autoimmune diabetes in adult (LADA) patients, and to explore the relationship of IL-23, IL-17and β-cell function in these patients. Methods Forty LADA patients from 2011 to 2016 in our hospital were selected as LADA group, and forty participants were as normal control group. Clinical and biochemical data was collected and the level of the IL-23 and IL-17 was measured with the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The differences in interleukin levels among the two groups were compared. Pearson correlation analysis was used for investigating the relationship between the dependent of statistical significant interleukins and the independent data in the LADA patients, all closely related variables then were included in a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. Results The levels of serum IL-23 , IL-17 and IL-23/IL-17 were significantly higher in LADA group than those in control groups [3.54(2.88~5.24)μg/L vs 1.98(1.62~2.18)μg/L, P<0.05], [22.42(17.71~26.07)ng/L vs 17.97(17.15~20.70)ng/L, P<0.05], (175.79±38.67 vs 105.22±19.08, P<0.01). IL-23 and IL-17 in the LADA group were negatively correlated with fasting C peptide (FCP) (r=-0.42, r=-0.48, P<0.05), and the ratio of IL-23/IL-17 was positively correlated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (r=0.44, P=0.00). Stepwise multiple liner regression analysis showed that serum IL-23 and IL-17 level were independently associated with the FCP in LADA group. Conclusions IL-23 and IL-17 were possibly important proinflammatory factor in LADA patients, and can provide the new immunodiagnosis markers for LADA. Key words: Interleukin-23; Interleukin-17; Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults; C-peptide