Regulatory T Cells in children with intestinal parasite infection.
Chronic intestinal parasite infection can induce both persistent immune activation and defective responsiveness of T cells. This study aimed to assess the number and function of T regulatory (Treg) cells in children with intestinal parasite infection. We have studied the peripheral blood from 93 children, 53 of them parasitized with protozoa, helminths, or both; the remainder were non parasitized, healthy controls. The number and function of CD4(+) CD25(high) and CD4(+) Foxp3(+) cells were similar in parasitized and control children. In contrast, there was a significant increase in the levels of CD3(+) CD69(+), CD4(+) CTLA-4(+), and CD8(+) CD28(-) T cells in helminth infected children. Moreover, some of these patients showed a diminished response to CD3/CD28 stimulation in comparison with the control children. Our data strongly suggest that whilst Treg cells are not affected by intestinal parasite infection, CD3(+) CD69(+), CD4(+) CTLA-4(+) and CD8(+) CD28(-) lymphocytes may play an important, but as yet undetermined role in the diminished immune competence observed in parasitized children.
García-Hernández
M H
MH
Laboratorio de Inmunología y Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, UASLP, San Luis Potosi, SLP, México.
Alvarado-Sánchez
B
B
Calvo-Turrubiartes
M Z
MZ
Salgado-Bustamante
M
M
Rodríguez-Pinal
C Y
CY
Gámez-López
L R
LR
González-Amaro
R
R
Portales-Pérez
D P
DP
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D001769:Blood / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis; D006376:Helminths / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors