[Lymphocytes Fox P3 and chronic C hepatitis: preliminary results].
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.
Misseri
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Scuola di Specializzazione in Medicina Interna, Università degli Studi di Catania, Italia. mariafrancesca79@yahoo.it
Maiorca
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D
Di Pino
A
A
Mastrosimone
G
G
Judica
A
A
D'Amico
F
F
Amoroso
A
A
Consolo
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M
D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors