Naturally occurring regulatory T cells in mucous membrane pemphigoid lesions.
BACKGROUND
A growing body of evidence suggests the involvement of naturally occurring CD4+ CD25+ regulatory (nTreg) T cells in autoimmune diseases.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the expression of some nTreg markers in mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) lesions.


METHODS
Lesional biopsies from six patients with untreated MMP were stained immunohistochemically with anti-CD25, -FoxP3, -CD103, and -CCR5.


RESULTS
All of the stained cells, both in MMP lesions and controls, were observed in the interstitial lamina propria or dermis. Positive cell counts of all the markers studied were low or very low in all sections, and significantly higher in MMP specimens than in healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of CCR5 and CD103, which mediate recruitment into peripheral tissues, indicates that CD25+ FoxP3+ nTreg cells may be present in MMP lesions according to a specific homing. nTreg cells may contribute to directing the MMP immunoinflammation towards chronicity, and thus favor the cicatricial evolution of lesions.
Torchia
Daniele
D
Department of Dermatological Sciences, Via della Pergola 58/60, 50121 Florence, Italy. daniele.torchia@unifi.it
Caproni
Marzia
M
Volpi
Walter
W
Fabbri
Paolo
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains / Q000378:metabolism; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010390:Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000502:physiology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; C091367:alpha E integrins