Abstract:

Hou Xiuli *, Wang Ping, Li Zhao, Nie Huiqiong, Liu Dongyin. *Department of Dermatology, Hangzhou Clinical College Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hangzhou 310009, China Corresponding author: Wang Ping, Email: dermwang@aliyun.com 【Abstract】 Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of narrow band-ultraviolet B （NB-UVB） alone or in combination with interferon-alpha-2b （INF-alpha-2b） for mycosis fungoides （MF）, and to assess the correlation between the therapeutic effect and peripheral blood regulatory T （Treg）/T helper type 17 （Th17） cells. Methods Thirty-three patients with stage IA to IIA MF were randomly divided into two groups: NB-UVB group （n = 15） receiving NB-UVB radiation alone, combined group （n = 18） treated with NB-UVB radiation and intramuscular injection of INF-alpha-2b. Ten healthy volunteers were selected as the control group. Peripheral blood samples were collected before and 9 months after the start of treatment. Flow cytometry was performed to determine the percentages of Treg cells and Th17 cells. Statistical analysis was carried out by using t test, one-way analysis of variance, and Fisher′s exact test. Results The average treatment duration was 9 months among these patients. Therapeutic outcomes were significantly better in the combined group than in the NB-UVB group （P = 0.023）. Among the 15 patients in the NB-UVB group, 6 achieved complete remission, 3 partial remission, 6 showed no response; of the 18 patients in the combined group, 12 experienced complete remission, 5 partial remission, and 1 showed no response. Before the treatment, the percentages of both Treg and Th17 cells in peripheral blood were significantly higher in the NB-UVB group and combined group than in the control group （both P < 0.05）, but similar between the NB-UVB group and combined group （both P > 0.05）. After the treatment, the percentages of both Treg and Th17 cells in the NB-UVB group and combined group significantly decreased compared with those before the treatment, but were still higher than those in the control group （both P < 0.05）. Additionally, the degree of decrease in the percentages of Treg and Th17 cells was significantly greater in the combined group than in the NB-UVB group （both P < 0.05）. The seven patients with no response also showed a significant decrease in the percentage of Treg cells （P < 0.05）, but no obvious changes in that of Th17 cells （P > 0.05） after the treatment. Conclusions The therapeutic effect of NB-UVB radiation combined with intramuscular INF-alpha-2b is superior to that of NB-UVB radiation alone for MF, which may be associated with the degree of decrease in peripheral blood Treg and Th17 cells.