title: Changes in peripheral blood Th1/Th2 cell balance in patients with condyloma acuminatum.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. lilyzzr@sohu.com
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zai-gao
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Liu-ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xian-yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zheng-shan
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Yi
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma