Expressions of transforming growth factor-β and interleukin-17A in peripheral brain tissue of nidus after microsurgical resection of brain arteriverous malformations and their significance

Objective To observe the expressions ofinterleukin-17A (IL-17A) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) in the peripheral brain tissue of nidus after microsurgical resection of brain arterivenous malformations (AVM),and their significance.Methods We prospectively chose 25 patients with AVM; 12 of them were performed endovascular embolization and then microsurgical removal (Group A),and the other 13 were performed microsurgical removal only (Group B).Another 6 patients with traumatic brain injury and hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage that needed internal decompression were used as controls.The expressions of IL-17A and TGF-β in these brain tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.Results The protein and mRNA expressions of IL-17A in Group A and B were significantly increased as compared with those in the controls (P＜0.05);the protein and mRNA expressions of IL-17A in Group A were significantly decreased as compared with those in Group B (P＜0.05).The protein and mRNA expressions of TGF-β in Group A and B were significantly decreased as compared with those in the controls (P＜0.05); the protein expression of IL-17A in Group A was not significantly increased as compared with that in Group B (P＞0.05); the mRNA expression of IL-17A in Group A was significantly increased as compared with that in Group B (P＜ 0.05).Conclusion The increased expression of IL-17A might be associated with the growth and pathologic process of AVM; the increased expression of TGF-β might inhibit the inflammatory reaction after embolization. Key words: Cerebral arteriovenous malformation;  Interleukin-17A;  Transforming growth factor β;  Embolization;  Microsurgery