Significant reduction of peripheral blood interleukin-35 and CD4+EBI3+ T cells, which are negatively correlated with an increase in the plasma IL-17 and cTnI level, in viral myocarditis patients

Introduction Viral myocarditis (VMC) has become an increasingly common heart disease that endangers human health. In the present study, the plasma interleukin-35 (IL-35) level and the percentage of CD4+EBI3+ T cells in VMC patients were detected to investigate the significance of changes in these parameters in the plasma of VMC patients and their association with the disease. Material and methods ELISA was performed to detect the plasma IL-35 level and the percentage of peripheral blood CD4+EBI3+ T cells in 40 VMC patients and in 20 healthy individuals. Moreover, the plasma IL-17 levels in the VMC patients and in the healthy individuals were detected using an ELISA, and the cardiac Troponin-I (cTnI) levels were detected using a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay to compare the differences in the groups. Results Plasma IL-35 level and the percentage of CD4+EBI3+ T cells in acute phase VMC patients was lower than that in the healthy control group and the convalescent phase VMC patients. Additionally, the plasma IL-35 level in the VMC patients exhibited a negative correlation with the levels of cTnI and IL-17. The percentage of CD4+EBI3+ T cells also showed a negative correlation with the levels of cTnI and IL-17. Conclusions The plasma IL-35 level and the percentage of CD4+EBI3+ T cells in VMC patients was reduced, and the amount of the decrease was associated with the severity of the disease. These results suggest that IL-35 and CD4+EBI3+ T might play important roles in the progression of VMC and could be used as indictors of the disease.