Study on serum TL1A levels and their correlation with Th17 cells, IL-17 and IL-21 in children with Graves’ disease

ObjectiveTo investigate serum TL1A levels and their correlation with Th17 cells, IL-17, and IL-21 in children with Graves’ disease (GD).MethodsThirty-seven children (12 males and 25 females) aged 9-14 years with newly diagnosed and untreated GD were enrolled in this study. Serum TL1A, IL-17, and IL-21 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The percentage of Th17 cells in peripheral blood was determined by flow cytometry. The correlation between serum TL1A levels and Th17 cells, IL-17, and IL-21 was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient.ResultsSerum TL1A levels and the percentage of Th17 cells were significantly higher in children with GD compared to healthy controls (P