title: [Lymphocytes Fox P3 and chronic C hepatitis: preliminary results].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Characterization of Treg lymphocytes (CD4+CD25+) in immune response in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of patients were included: Group A (10 patients with chronic hepatitis C); Group B (10 healthy controls). In both groups, liver markers, liver function tests, lymphocyte typing, serum HCV-RNA were assessed. Liver biopsy was executed in Group A only. Peripheral venous samples were analyzed by citofluorimetric analysis, liver biopsy's samples were studied by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group A patients showed a larger expression of Treg (CD4+CD25+) in peripheral blood than Group B with an ipo-expression of a subpopulation of Treg FoxP3+ (CD4+CD25hi). Group B patients showed a higher ratio (CD4+CD25hi/CD4+CD25+) than Group A. Liver biopsy samples showed a clear positivity for FoxP3+ Treg cells in the inflammatory infiltrated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study's preliminary results seem to indicate that Treg lymphocytes are really involved in flogistic process in course of chronic hepatitis C. Peripheral blood of infected patients (Group A) shows a low expression of Foxp3+ cells because they are sequestrated in the liver. These cells could be involved in the pathogenesis of the chronic disease and they would be employed how potential agents for a immunomodulatory therapy.
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Specializzazione in Medicina Interna, Università degli Studi di Catania, Italia. mariafrancesca79@yahoo.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misseri
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maiorca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Pino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mastrosimone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Judica
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amoroso
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Consolo
mesh_terms: D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors