Evaluation of Interleukin-17 A Levels in Patients with Breast Carcinoma

The Egyptian Journal of Immunology
Volume 31 (1), January, 2024
Pages: 174 – 183.
www.Ejimmunology.org
https://doi.org/10.55133/eji.310118
Heba M. El-Batal1, Mahmoud M. Kamel2,3, Inas Moaz4, and Noha M. Gohar1
1Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

2Baheya Center for Early Detection & Treatment of Breast Cancer, Giza, Egypt.

3Department of Clinical & Chemical Pathology, National Cancer Institute. Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

4Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, National Liver Institute, Menoufia, Egypt.

Corresponding author:
Heba M. El-Batal, Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Email: hebamosadelbatal@kasralainy.edu.eg.

 

Abstract

Breast cancer is a highly common form of cancer that impacts a considerable proportion of women on a global scale. Interleukin 17A (IL-17A) is a cytokine that has both anti-tumor and pro-tumor effects, which can vary depending on the specific tumor microenvironment. The aim of this study was to determine whether IL-17A can be used as a biomarker for diagnosis of breast cancer. Therefore, we compared concentrations of serum IL-17A in patients suffering from breast carcinoma and normal control women by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This study included 86 women, 44 patients that were diagnosed with breast carcinoma, and 42 normal control women. Serum IL-17A levels in both case and control groups were measured by sandwich ELISA kits. The IL-17A serum level was significantly higher among patients with breast carcinoma than in the control group (p<0.001). The serum IL-17A concentration was significantly higher in estrogen receptor-positive cases than in estrogen receptor-negative cases (p=0.033). The highest levels of IL-17A were detected in patients with stage 2 breast carcinoma rather than stage 3 with no significant correlation. There was no correlation between IL-17A level and tumor size, lymph node invasion, or metastasis in patients with breast cancer. In conclusion, a high level of IL-17A in breast carcinoma patients compared to the control group was detected in our study. It indicates that IL-17A could be a promising biomarker for diagnosis of breast cancer and may play a role in tumor development. High levels of IL-17A were not a predictor of poor prognosis in breast cancer patients as it was not related to tumor size, lymph node invasion, or metastasis.

Keywords: Interleukin-17A, breast carcinoma, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Date received: 13 June 2023; accepted: 25 December 2023

PMID:
38225776

 

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