title: A new paradigm in ulcerative colitis: regulatory T cells are key factor which induces/exacerbates UC through an immune imbalance.
abstract: Leukocytapheresis (LCAP) appears to remove or inactivate inflammatory cells and to reset immunological responses, resulting to cure responders of ulcerative colitis (UC). The changes of T cell subsets were investigated in UC patients treated with LCAP. Levels of T cell subsets in peripheral blood before and after LCAP were analysed by flow cytometric analysis. Of 20 UC patients, 13 (65%) achieved remission and 2 (10%) showed the improvement of UC symptoms. Ratios of some T cell subtypes such as regulatory T (Treg) cells and memory T cells to CD4(+) T cells changed significantly only in responders. Especially, ratio of resting Treg/CD4(+) T cells was significantly increased after the first LCAP session, and then one of activated Treg/CD4(+) T cells was increased after 2 week. This may lead to the development of a new UC paradigm in which an imbalance in Treg cell subsets triggers the onset and/or exacerbation of UC.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Gastroenterology and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research, Hamamatsu South Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan. flw-1013@topaz.plala.or.jp
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hanai
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeya
authors.forename: Jinrou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Teruyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimura
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Fumitoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007937:Leukapheresis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult