title: Role of Regulatory T Cells in Tubercular Uveitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in patients with tubercular uveitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Frequencies of peripheral Tregs, Th1, Th17 cells, and intracellular cytokines were determined in 17 tubercular uveitis patients and 18 disease controls. Function of Tregs, Th1, and Th17 cells was assessed in vitro. Simultaneously, ocular levels of IFN-γ, IL-17A, IL-4, and IL-10 were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Frequencies of peripheral Tregs in tubercular uveitis subjects were significantly lower compared with disease controls. Furthermore, expression of TGF-β and IL-2Rα, but not CTLA4, was reduced in Tregs of the tubercular uveitis group. The tubercular uveitis group demonstrated heightened Th1, Th17 responses following in vitro stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)/ionomycin. Interestingly, Treg suppression assay did not show a significant difference between the two groups. Ocular levels of IFN-γ, IL-17A, and IL-10 were also elevated in tubercular uveitis group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low Treg frequency and hyporesponsive function contribute to proinflammatory responses manifesting at ocular level in tubercular uveitis.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh , India.
authors.forename: Ravi K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh , India.
authors.forename: Amod
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh , India.
authors.forename: Shivali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamal
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh , India.
authors.forename: Reema
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bansal
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh , India.
authors.forename: Nirbhai
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical Microbiology , Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh , India.
authors.forename: Kusum
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh , India.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Virk
authors.affiliation: c Department of Endocrinology , Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh , India.
authors.forename: Naresh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sachdeva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000502:physiology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D014392:Tuberculosis, Ocular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D014605:Uveitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D016207:Cytokines; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta
keywords: IL-2Rα; TGF-ß; proinflammatory cytokines; regulatory T cells; tubercular uveitis; vitreous fluid