Abstract
Tonsil and adenoid-tissue hypertrophy (AH) is the most common cause of pediatric sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), with AH possibly initiated by repeated exposure to infectious agents or allergens. Here, we evaluated IL-17A activity in adenoid tissue from children with SDB and its association with AH and pneumococcal carriage. Thirty-five children (aged 3-12 years) with SDB and receiving adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy were enrolled. During surgery, nasopharyngeal carriage was determined by bacterial culture and multiplex PCR via nasopharyngeal swab, and adenoid samples were collected. IL-17A and associated cytokine expression was evaluated by real-time PCR and western blotting. The mRNA analysis showed that IL-17A level, IL-17A:IL-10 ratio, and RAR-related orphan receptor-γt:forkhead box P3 ratio were significantly higher in adenoid tissues with AH, as were IL-17A level and IL-17A:IL-10 ratio in adenoid tissues with pneumococcal carriage. Additionally, pneumococcal carriage was more common in nasopharyngeal adenoids from patients without AH than those with AH. IL-17A was upregulated in adenoid tissues from patients with AH and with pneumococcal carriage. These results suggested that pneumococcal carriage initiates an IL-17A-mediated immune response in nasopharyngeal adenoids, which might be associated with AH in patients with SDB.