Abstract
Purpose: :
CD4+CD25 T cells have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. We aimed to assess the percentage of T regulatory cells in the peripheral blood of patients with active Birdshot Retinochoroidopathy (BSRC).
Methods: :
After obtaining informed consent, 5ml of blood was collected from a total of twelve patients diagnosed with new onset or untreated BSRC and 5 healthy controls. The samples were labeled and transported immediately to the Clinical Flow Cytometry Laboratory at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) for analysis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were subjected to flow cytometry for analysis of lymphocytes expressing the following cell surface glycoproteins: CD4 CD25 CD127 FOXP3. The biomarkers utilized to appropriately identify and purify activated T-regulatory cells included CD4, CD25, CD127, Foxp3, CD3 and CD45.
Results: :
Samples were analyzed from 12 active BSRC patients and 5 healthy controls. The preliminary data reveals level of activated T-cells CD4+CD25hi was 4.6% in patients and 5.1% in the controls, while the level of CD4+CD25hi FOXP3+ regulatory T lymphocytes levels was 80.2% in patients and 78.4% in controls.
Conclusions: :
Our preliminary data shows no statistical difference between the two groups. It is unclear whether CD4+CD25hi FOXP3+ Treg cells play a role in the development of BSRC.
Keywords: flow cytometry • immunomodulation/immunoregulation