Lower proportions of CD4+CD25high and CD4+FoxP3, but not CD4+CD25+CD127low FoxP3+T cell levels in children with autoimmune thyroid diseases. (May 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bossowski, A.; Moniuszko, M.; Dąbrowska, M.; Sawicka, B.; Rusak, M.; Jeznach, M.; Wójtowicz, J.; Bodzenta-Lukaszyk, A.; Bossowska, A.
• Is Part Of: Autoimmunity. Volume 46:Number 3(2013)
• Page Start: 222
• Page End: 230
• Publication Date: 2013-05
• Subjects: Autoimmunity -- Periodicals; Autoimmune diseases -- Periodicals; 571.973
• DOI: 10.3109/08916934.2012.751981
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-6934

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>The essence of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is loss of tolerance of own tissues caused by malfunction of T lymphocytes, which affects the production of antibodies reacting with particular cell structures and tissues. Foxp3<sup>+</sup> regulatory T cells (Tregs) take part in the regulation of immune response and play a leading role in developing immune tolerance through active suppression. The aim of the study was to estimate the expression of CD4+CD25<sup>high</sup>, CD4+CD25+CD127<sup>low</sup>FoxP3<sup>+</sup> and CD4+ FoxP3 T cells in patients with Graves' disease (GD) (<italic>n</italic> = 24, median age 15.5 years), in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) (<italic>n</italic> = 30, median age 15 years) in comparison with sex- and age-matched healthy control subjects (<italic>n</italic> = 30, median age 15 years). Polychromatic flow cytometry using a FACSCalibur (BD Biosciences) cytometer was applied to delineate T regulatory cell populations. In untreated patients with Graves' disease and HT we observed a significant decrease in CD4+FoxP3 (<italic>p</italic> < 0.001, <italic>p</italic> < 0.01) and CD4+CD25<sup>high</sup> (<italic>p</italic> < 0.016, <italic>p</italic> < 0.048) T lymphocytes as compared to the healthy control subjects. After 6–12 months of L-thyroxine therapy in HT cases these phenotypes of Tregs were normalized, yet no such changes were observed during GD therapy. The analysis of CD4+CD25+CD127<sup>low</sup>FoxP3<sup>+</sup>T cells in the peripheral blood revealed comparable percentages of these cells in patients with thyroid autoimmune diseases to the controls. We conclude that the reduction number of Tregs with CD4+CD25<sup>high</sup> and CD4+FoxP3 phenotype suggests their role in initiation and development of autoimmune process in thyroid disorders.</p> </abstract>