Immunohistochemical analysis of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in healthy human skin and autoimmune dermatoses. (22nd August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Terras, Sarah; Gambichler, Thilo; Moritz, Rose K. C.; Altmeyer, Peter; Lambert, Jo
• Is Part Of: International journal of dermatology. Volume 53:Number 3(2014:Mar.)
• Page Start: 294
• Page End: 299
• Publication Date: 2013-08-22
• Subjects: Dermatology -- Periodicals; 616.5
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2012.05808.x
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0011-9059

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="ijd5808-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="ijd5808-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an important role in autoimmune diseases. In skin, the presence of Tregs is thought to be mandatory for suppression of autoreactive T cells. Here, we assess the number of Tregs in skin of healthy subjects and patients with an autoimmune dermatosis.</p> </sec> <sec id="ijd5808-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Immunohistochemical stainings for CD3 and FOXP3 on skin biopsies of healthy subjects and subjects with psoriasis, vitiligo, pemphigus vulgaris, bullous pemphigoid, and halo nevus to assess the number of T and regulatory T cells, respectively.</p> </sec> <sec id="ijd5808-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Low numbers of CD3+ and FOXP3+ cells were seen in the skin of healthy controls (median = 0.5%). A significantly higher frequency of Tregs was seen in lesional skin of patients with psoriasis (median = 12.4%) and patients with bullous pemphigoid (median = 10.1%) as compared to controls. In vitiligo (median = 0.0%), pemphigus vulgaris (median = 5.2%), and halo nevi (median = 5.4%), no significant difference in number of FOXP3+ cells was observed when compared to controls.</p> </sec> <sec id="ijd5808-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>As confirmed in the literature, few Tregs were seen in healthy skin. A high number of Tregs were present in lesional skin from patients with psoriasis and bullous pemphigoid. These results support the hypothesis that not a decrease in number but rather a decrease in function of Tregs would be at the basis of autoimmune skin diseases, which could result in unrestrained activation autoreactive T cells in skin of patients with autoimmune dermatoses.</p> </sec> </abstract>