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Increased number of regulatory T cells in children with eosinophilic esophagitis.
- Source :
-
Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition [J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr] 2010 Sep; Vol. 51 (3), pp. 283-9. - Publication Year :
- 2010
-
Abstract
- Objectives: There are limited data on the role of regulatory T cells (Treg) in the disease pathology of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). We tested the differences in Treg in subjects with EoE compared with those with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and healthy controls (HC).<br />Patients and Methods: Pediatric patients evaluated by endoscopy were recruited for our study. Participants were categorized into 3 groups: EoE, GERD, and HC. RNA purified from esophageal biopsies were used for real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays and tested for forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) mRNA expression. Treg were identified as CD4+CD25hiCD127lo cells in peripheral blood and as CD3+/FoxP3+cells in esophageal tissue.<br />Results: Forty-eight subjects were analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction: EoE (n = 33), GERD (n = 7), and HC (n = 8). FoxP3 expression was higher by up to 1.5-fold in the EoE group compared with the GERD and HC groups (P < 0.05). Protein levels of FoxP3 in blood and tissue were then investigated in 21 subjects: EoE (n = 10), GERD (n = 6), and HC (n = 5). The percentage of Treg and their subsets in peripheral blood were not significant between groups (P > 0.05). The amount of Treg in esophageal tissue was significantly greater in the EoE group (mean 10.7 CD3+/FoxP3+cells/high power field [HPF]) compared with the other groups (GERD, mean 1.7 CD3+/FoxP3+cells/HPF and HC, mean 1.6 CD3+/FoxP3+cells/HPF) (P < 0.05).<br />Conclusions: We show that Treg are increased in esophageal tissue of EoE subjects compared with GERD and HC subjects. The present study illustrates another possible mechanism involved in EoE that implicates impairment of immune homeostasis.
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Adult
Antigens, CD metabolism
Case-Control Studies
Child
Child, Preschool
Eosinophilic Esophagitis metabolism
Esophagus metabolism
Female
Forkhead Transcription Factors genetics
Gastroesophageal Reflux metabolism
Humans
Infant
Male
RNA, Messenger metabolism
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Young Adult
Eosinophilic Esophagitis immunology
Esophagus immunology
Forkhead Transcription Factors metabolism
Gastroesophageal Reflux immunology
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory metabolism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1536-4801
- Volume :
- 51
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 20639775
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1097/MPG.0b013e3181e0817b