title: Regulatory T Cells in Patients with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an immune-mediated bleeding disorder in which platelets are opsonized by autoantibodies and destroyed by an Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis by the reticuloendothelial system within the spleen. Autoimmune processes are also considered in the pathogenesis of this disorder. CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells and CD8+CD28- Treg cells have roles in autoimmune diseases. We investigated these regulatory cells in ITP patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 22 ITP patients and 16 age-matched healthy subjects. CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg cells and CD8+CD28- cells were investigated by three-color flow cytometry. The ratios of these cell populations to total lymphocytes were calculated. Statistical analysis was carried out with the Mann-Whitney U test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD4+CD25+ Treg cells were 9.69±3.70% and 12.99±5.58% in patients with ITP and controls, respectively. CD4+CD25highFoxP3+ cells were 27.72±19.74% and 27.55±23.98% in ITP patients and controls, respectively. The percentages of both of these cell types were not statistically significant when compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We did not find any differences in ratios of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg cells or CD8+CD28- T cells in lymphocytes between patients and healthy subjects. We conclude that these circulatory cells are not different in ITP, but further studies are needed to explore the putative roles of these regulatory cells.
authors.affiliation: Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpaşa Training and Research Hospital, Clinic of Hematology, İstanbul, Turkey, Phone : +90 532 733 03 14, E-mail : aleverikci@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Alev
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akyol Erikçi
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karagöz
authors.forename: Oğuz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bilgi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D010976:Platelet Count; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers