title: Regulatory T cells in children with recently diagnosed type 1 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regulatory T cells have an important role in the control of immune reactivity against self antigens and probably play a role in pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (T1D). We aimed to determine the frequency of regulatory T cells in recently diagnosed children with/T1D.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 children with/T1D and 20 healthy children of matched age and sex as controls were enrolled in this study. All cases were subjected to a thorough history taking, full clinical examinations and investigations which include; insulin C peptide levels and flow cytometric detection of B-, T-lymphocytes and regulatory T cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Insulin C peptide level was significantly lower in children with/ T1D compared with controls. The percentages of B and T-lymphocytes were not significantly different between patients and controls. The percentages of CD4+CD25+High and CD4+CD25+High Foxp3+ cells both in total lymphocytes and in CD4+ lymphocytes were significantly decreased in patients than controls, while the percentages of total CD4+CD25+ and CD4+CD25+Intermediate both in total lymphocytes and in CD4+ lymphocytes were not significantly different between patients and controls. The geometric mean of fluorescence intensity (MFI) of Foxp3+ expression in CD4+CD25+High cells was significantly decreased in patients than controls. Positive correlations were observed between both age and insulin C peptide and frequency of CD4+CD25+High Foxp3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The percentage of regulatory T cells; CD4+CD25+High Foxp3 was decreased in children with recent T1D and may have a role in its pathogenesis. Their role as a prognostic signifi cance and their relation to various complications should be explored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Egypt.
authors.forename: Asmaa Mohamed
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zahran
authors.forename: Khalid Ibrahem
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Elsayh
authors.forename: Kotb Abbass
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Metwalley