title: Interleukin-2, interleukin-6 and T regulatory cells in peripheral blood of patients with Behçet's disease and recurrent aphthous ulcerations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the factors involved in the pathogenesis of Behçet disease (BD) and recurrent aphthous ulcerations (RAU) is a cell-mediated immune response in which several cytokines (interleukin-2, interleukin-6) and T regulatory cell (T reg cell) population seem to play a major role. The aim of this study was to measured the interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and analysis of CD4(+) CD25(+) Foxp-3(+) Treg cells in peripheral blood from patients with BD and RAU. In addition; we also analysed peripheral blood from healthy subjects for comparison.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients (15 men and 15 women) with BD, 30 patients (12 men and 18 women) with RAU and 15 healthy control subjects (nine men and six women) participated in the study. Analysis of CD4(+) CD25(+) Foxp-3(+) Treg cells, IL-2 and IL-6 levels have been measured in flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistical differences were observed in the serum levels of IL-2 and IL-6 between BD and RAU patients, and healthy subjects. Although there were no statistical differences in the number of CD4(+) CD25(+) Foxp-3(+) cells between groups, there were statistically significant differences in the number of CD4(+) CD25(bright) Treg cells. CD4(+) CD25(bright) Treg cells were significantly increased in BD and RAU patients compared to healthy subjects. Statistical analysis revealed no difference according to the number of CD4(+) CD25(bright) cells between BD and RAU patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that CD4(+) CD25(bright) T regulatory cells may be contributing factor in the pathogenesis of BD and RAU.
authors: Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey. fpekiner@yahoo.com
authors: Filiz Namdar
authors: FN
authors: Pekiner
authors: Emre
authors: E
authors: Aytugar
authors: Gulderen Yanikkaya
authors: GY
authors: Demirel
authors: Mehmet Oguz
authors: MO
authors: Borahan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C508017:IL2RA protein, human; D007376:Interleukin-2; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D015850:Interleukin-6