Abstract
Purpose: :
T regulatory cells belong to a very important population of T cells able to control autoimmune diseases as well as other types of immune responses. Despite the huge number of articles approaching this subject, there is still lack of data about the participation of natural occuring Tregs in the pathogenesis and evolution of ocular-related diseases. Our aim was to evaluate the role of this population, as well as the cytokine profile in VKH and autoimmune uveitis patients.
Methods: :
Mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood of patients with VKH, autoimmune uveitis and healthy controls and were characterized by Flow Cytometry according to CD4+Foxp3+ and CD4+CD25+ expression. The inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine profile also was investigated and determined by ELISA.
Results: :
Our results showed no significant difference in the percentage of CD4+FOXP3+ and CD4+CD25+ T cells in peripheral blood from patients when compared to healthy matched controls. In addition, cytokine production showed an increase in TGF-beta, IL-2 and IFN-gamma by VKH patients and an increase in IL-10 in VKH and autoimmune uveitis patients when compared with control group.
Conclusions: :
Our data shows neither expansion nor contraction of the studied population. We have not tested the functional capacity of these cells. Therefore we can not assume that there is no difference between the groups and this is one of the further goals of our work.
Keywords: autoimmune disease • uveitis-clinical/animal model • inflammation