Expression of Foxp3+CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and Th1/Th2, Tc1/Tc2 profiles in the peripheral blood of patients with condyloma acuminatum.
BACKGROUND
Condyloma acuminatum (CA) is a disease that appears as proliferative lesions of the genital epithelium caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The balance between type 1 and type 2 T-cell subsets in patients with CA is thought to modulate antiviral immunity. CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) inhibit proliferation and cytokine production by both T-helper (Th)1 and Th2 cells and reversibly suppress CTL-mediated immunity. A better understanding of the mechanisms of T-cell regulation in CA might help in developing more effective therapeutic strategies. Objective. To evaluate the balance of Th1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2 and to assess their correlation with changes in number of Tregs in CA.


METHODS
The percentage of Th1, Th2, Tc1, Tc2 and Tregs were detected by flow cytometry after intracellular staining for cytokines (interferon-gamma and interleukin-4) and Foxp3 of T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of 30 patients and 20 healthy volunteers.


RESULTS
Patients with CA showed a decreased proportion of Th1 and Tc1 cells and a decreased ratio of Th1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2. In particular, strikingly decreased ratios of Th1/Th2 were found in 15 patients with relapsed CA (P < 0.01). The mean +/- SD number of Foxp3+CD4+CD25+ Tregs increased significantly in patients with CA (3.37 +/- 1.03%) and patients with relapsed CA (4.68 +/- 1.17%) compared with healthy controls (1.18 +/- 0.53%) (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Tregs appear to downregulate cytokine expression in both Tc1 and Th1 subsets of effector T cells, which may be responsible for antivirus responses.
Xu
Y
Y
Department of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Suzhou University, Suzhou, China.
Zhu
K-J
KJ
Zhu
N
N
Jiang
D-H
DH
Chen
X-Z
XZ
Cheng
H
H
D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors