title: Foxp3+ lymphocyte count in Barrett's esophagus tissue is higher than in in amed esophageal tissue.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of Foxp3+ lymphocytes is increased in patients with esophageal carcinoma. Little is known about Foxp3+ cells count in Barret's esophagus, which is a precancerous state for esophageal cancer. A i m: To count the number of Foxp3+ lymphocytes in tissue samples from patients with Barrett's and compare it with samples from individuals with esophagitis and esophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  43 patients were enrolled to the study: 14 with esophageal carcinoma, 15 with Barrett's esophagus and 14 with non-metaplastic esophagitis. Every patient undergone gastroscopy during which a tissue sample was taken. Foxp3+ lymphocytes and CD4+ lymphocytes were detected by using immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean density of Foxp3+ cells in patients with esophagitis was 7.37/10HPF (range: 1-9), 18.5/10HPF (range: 5-29) and 26.8/10HPF (range: 16-40) in patients with dysplastic and non-dysplastic BE, respectively and 47.92/10HPF in individuals with esophageal a carcinoma. These intergroup differences turned out to be statistically significant (p = 0.000; Fig. 3). Patients, either with dysplasia or without, presented with significantly higher Foxp3+ cell counts than the subjects with esophagitis (p = 0.0003 and p = 0.0006, respectively). Also the number of Foxp3+ lymphocytes in esophageal adenocarcinoma specimens turned out to be significantly higher than in esophagitis (p = 0.0001), non-dysplastic and dysplastic BE tissue (p = 0.016 and p = 0.00047, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Barrett's metaplasia, either with dysplasia or without, is associated with an evident increase in the number of Foxp3 lymphocytes within the esophagogastric junction mucosa. Restoration of lymphocyte balance in esophageal tissue might prevent malignant transformation of Barrett's metaplasia.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Surgery, Jagiellonian University Medical College ul. Kopernika 21, 31-501 Kraków, Poland. mrubinkiewicz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mateusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubinkiewicz
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Migaczewski
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hankus
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Major
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pędziwiatr
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Budzyński
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okoń
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Budzyński
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors
keywords:  Immunohistochemistry; Barrett’s esophagus; Esophageal cancer; Regulatory T-cells