Changes in peripheral blood Th1/Th2 cell balance in patients with condyloma acuminatum.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the association of peripheral blood T helper type 1 (Th1) and type 2 (Th2) imbalance with the occurrence of condyloma acuminatum (CA).


METHODS
Interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) secreted by CD4(+) T-cells were detected by flow cytometry in 40 patients with CA and 20 healthy volunteers, and significance of Th1/Th2 cell ratio in the etiology of the CA was analyzed.


RESULTS
Peripheral blood Th1 cells that secreted IFN-gamma were significantly decreased in number in patients with CA (P <0.05), while Th2 cells producing IL-4 increased (P <0.05). The Th1/Th2 cell ratio was significantly reduced in CA patients as compared with the health control subjects (P <0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Increases of Th2 cells and decrease of Th1 cells in the peripheral blood of CA patients result in relative Th2 predominance and breach the Th1/Th2 balance, which may play an important role in the etiology and recurrence of CA.
Li
Li
L
Department of Dermatology, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. lilyzzr@sohu.com
Zhou
Zai-gao
ZG
Zeng
Kang
K
Liang
Liu-ping
LP
Zhou
Xian-yi
XY
Yi
Zheng-shan
ZS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma