Fox-P3-positive regulatory T cells are present in the skin of generalized atopic eczema patients and are not particularly affected by medium-dose UVA1 therapy.
BACKGROUND
Regulatory T cells (T-reg cells) have been described as an important cell population in the UV treatment of inflammatory skin diseases.


METHODS
We have treated five patients with generalized atopic eczema (AE) using medium-dose (15 cycles of 50 J/cm(2), total dose of 750 J/cm(2)) UVA1 therapy and have analyzed the skin-infiltrating T-cellular subsets before and after therapy. Skin biopsies were split for immunohistochemistry and Real-time PCR and analyzed for CD4, Fox-P3, GATA-3, and IL-10 transcription as well as for CD3, CD4, CD152, Fox-P3, and GITR staining.


RESULTS
In all the investigated patients, we observed a good clinical response to UVA1. As described previously, the number of epidermal T cells slightly declined after irradiation. However, we did not observe a general decrease in T cell numbers. Within the population of T cells, no specific difference in the kinetics of Fox-P3-positive cells and Fox-P3-specific mRNA was noted as compared with GATA-3 positive T cells. These results were paralleled by RT-PCR for IL-10 and staining for CD152, a surface molecule that has been described for T-reg cells.


CONCLUSIONS
In our hands, the clinical benefit of UVA1 treatment in AE patients does not seem to be due to a preferential survival/proliferation of T-reg cells.
Schnopp
Christina
C
Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Biederstein, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
Rad
Roland
R
Weidinger
Anke
A
Weidinger
Stefan
S
Ring
Johannes
J
Eberlein
Bernadette
B
Ollert
Markus
M
Mempel
Martin
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007120:Immunochemistry; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy
D015704:CD4 Antigens; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494749:GATA3 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016753:Interleukin-10