Interleukin-27 is abrogated in gastric cancer, but highly expressed in other Helicobacter pylori-associated gastroduodenal diseases

Background IL-27 has dual roles in the immune response either stimulating Th1 or inhibiting Th17 cells. Because there is a particular link of IL-23/Th17 axis in the development of cancer and IL-27 has been considered a potential treatment for cancer, we evaluated the gastric and serum concentrations of IL-27 in two mutually exclusive Helicobacter pylori-associated diseases, gastric cancer (GC) and duodenal ulcer (DU). Material and Methods We prospectively studied 110 H pylori-positive patients and 40 healthy blood donors. Serum and gastric concentrations of IL-27 and cytokines of the Th1/Th17 cells were assessed by ELISA. Results IL-27 was not detected in GC patients, but the cytokine concentration was very high in the patients with DU. IL-27 was also detected in the gastritis patients and in the H pylori-positive blood donors. IL27RA mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, evaluated by rt-PCR, was stimulated by H pylori strains. The cytokine concentration positively correlated with the Th1 and negatively with Th17 cell representative cytokine levels. Gastric IL-27 concentrations were positively correlated with increased degree of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells on the antral gastric mucosa of DU patients in consonance with the DU gastritis pattern. IL-12p70 and IFN-gamma gastric concentrations were significantly higher in DU than in GC. Conversely, gastric concentrations of Th17 cell-associated cytokines (IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-23, and TGF-beta) were significantly higher in GC than in DU patients. Conclusion Although H pylori infection is able to elicit IL-27 and IL-27R alpha secretion, DU and GC have diametrically opposed cytokine patterns.