Poster presentation, P57

Official XXIst International Pigment Cell Conference website - 21-24 Sept 2011, Bordeaux - France | updated: September 04 2011

Assessment of Tissue FoxP3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in Active and Stable Non-Segmental Vitiligo

SPEAKER M. Abdallah #whois submiter ?
AUTHOR(s) M. Abdallah, R. Lotfi, W. Osman, R. Galal

BACKGROUND: FoxP3+ T regulatory cells (T-regs) play a role in inhibition of autoimmune responses, but their definite role in active versus stable non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) was not assessed. OBJECTIVE: To assess tissue CD4+, CD8+ T cells and FoxP3+ T-regs in active and stable NSV. METHOD: Immunohistochemichal double staining for CD4 and CD8 in addition to FoxP3 were done in lesional (L), perilesional (PL), and non-lesional (NL) skin. RESULTS: Significant increase in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in PL skin in comparison to L and NL skin in both stable and active NSV. Both cell types were significantly increased in active cases in PL, L and NL skin. Highly significant reduction in the number of Foxp3+ T-regs was observed in PL in comparison with L and NL in both active and stable cases. Active NSV showed more reduction in T-regs in PL skin. At and near the dermo-epidermal junction (DEJ) of PL and L skin, CD8+ T cells were markedly increased in comparison to CD4+cells. T-regs were more abundant at the DEJ of PL skin. CONCLUSION: Elevation in the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in PL and L in active vitiligo and increase the number of CD8+ T cells at the DEJ implies their involvement in melanocyte destruction. The reduction in the number of T-regs in PL in active cases suggests that this is the site where regulatory activity is lacking to suppress the activity of helper and cytotoxic T cells that are actively contributing to depigmentation.



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