Evaluation of Immunological Levels of IL-37, IL-38, and IL-17A in Iraqi Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Abstract

t Diabetes mellitus, a significant cause of mortality around the globe, can result in several secondary complications, including diabetic foot syndrome, which is brought on by diabetic neuropathy and ischemia. Approximately 15% of diabetic patients suffer from diabetic foot complications, which results in high rates of morbidity and mortality of people with Diabetes mellitus. The study's objective is to measure serum levels of IL-37, IL-38 & IL-17A in diabetic mellitus (type 1 & 2) patients with and without diabetic foot ulcer complications and in the control group as well as the possibility of using them as early biomarkers for diagnosis of diabetic mellitus complications & future prevention. Overall, of 193 participants included in this case-control study, they were divided into three groups: the first one contains patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (29 with diabetic foot ulcer DFU+ 35 non-diabetic foot), the second group includes type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (41 with DFU + 38 Non). The third group includes (50) as apparently healthy controls. Serological techniques of sandwich ELISA did laboratory tests for specific serum human IL-37, IL-38, and IL- 17A. The study revealed that IL-37 and IL-17A levels were significantly high (P<0.01) in all diabetic groups compared to the control healthy group. The results of IL-38 show substantially higher levels of T1DM and T2DM (P<0.05) compared to the control group. In addition, the DFU group of T2DM illustrated higher levels of IL-37, IL-38, and IL-17A compared with other diabetic groups.

In conclusion, Iraqi DM subjects with and without complications had higher values of interleukins, IL-37, IL-38, and IL-17A, than healthy controls, which suggests an inflammatory state in these patients. In addition, the DFU of T2DM patients expressed higher levels of interleukins than other diabetic groups. This can be focused on using them as novel therapeutic targets for preventing and treating DM complications. As well as the possibility of using them as markers of inflammation and progression for complications in DM patients.