title: Apoptotic activity and Treg cells in tissue lesions of patients with leprosy.
abstract: In order to understand the apoptotic response and the participation of Treg cells in the spectral clinical evolution of leprosy, this study evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of caspase-3 and FoxP3 in skin lesions of leprosy patients with the polar forms of the disease. Forty-nine patients with a confirmed diagnosis of the disease were selected, including 27 with the TT form and 22 with the LL form. Quantitative analysis of caspase-3 immunostaining showed a higher expression of this mediator in the LL form (3.409 ± 0.6517 cells/mm(2); p = 0.0001). Immunostaining for the transcription factor FoxP3 was higher in the LL form (3.891 ± 0.9294 cells/mm(2); p = 0.0001). A moderate correlation between the two markers was observed in the TT form (r = 0.5214; p = 0.005). It can be concluded that Treg cells and apoptosis play an effective role for the host defense response, inducing mechanisms involved in the activation of cascades that interfere with the control of the immune response and cell homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Nucleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Para, Belem-Pa, Brazil; Centro de Ciências Biologicas e da Saude, Universidade do Estado do Para, Belem-Pa, Brazil. Electronic address: juarez@pesquisador.cnpq.br.
authors.forename: Juarez Antonio Simões
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Quaresma
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biologicas e da Saude, Universidade do Estado do Para, Belem-Pa, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Cardoso
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Esteves
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências Biologicas e da Saude, Universidade do Estado do Para, Belem-Pa, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tinara Leila
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: de Sousa Aarão
authors.affiliation: Nucleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Para, Belem-Pa, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jorge Rodrigues
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.affiliation: Nucleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Para, Belem-Pa, Brazil.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: da Silva Pinto
authors.affiliation: Nucleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Para, Belem-Pa, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hellen Thais
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Fuzii
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000032:analysis; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008853:Microscopy; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Apoptosis; Caspase 3; FoxP3; Mycobacterium leprae