Cutaneous T cell lymphoma and graft-versus-host disease: a comparison of in vivo effects of extracorporeal photochemotherapy on Foxp3+ regulatory T cells.
Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) is a well established treatment for both cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, the general effector mechanism is not fully settled. Twenty-four patients with CTCL and 14 patients with GVHD were included to assess the relative numbers of regulatory T cells (Treg) and any change in the serum cytokine profile during 6 months of ECP therapy. The relative amount of Treg cells was twice as high in CTCL compared to GVHD and healthy controls. TGF-beta was on average three times higher in GVHD than in CTCL. Both patient groups had a small but significant increase in TGF-beta after treatment. Our results indicate a strengthened Treg function as a result of ECP. Elevated TGF-beta may indicate high Treg activation in GVHD, whereas an increased number of Treg cells in CTCL could be interpreted as a response that is involved in down-regulating the lymphoma cells.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Olav Kyrres gt. 17, N-7006 Trondheim, Norway. vidarrao@gmail.com
Vidar
V
Rao
Marit
M
Saunes
Størker
S
Jørstad
Torolf
T
Moen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017893:Photopheresis / Q000379:methods*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
D016207:Cytokines; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors