Expression And Significance Of CD4~+CD25~+Foxp3~+Regulation T Cells In Leprosy

Objection:Leprosy is a kind of chronic infection disease which caused by mycobacterium. There are nearly300-400million people became disability because of leprosy and the number of the disabled people in China is about120,000.Among them, There are about40,000lost labour ability. Especially in Yunnan province, the incidence of leprosy is the highest. Many studies indicated that leprosy is a disease which related to immunity, and has some similarities with tuberculosis also. For example, both of them are infected by mycobacteria and have similar immune dominant antigen. Both of them have genetic susceptibility and can resistance to infection. Especially,the cellular immune plays an important role both in leprosy and tuberculosis, but the immune response occur in two disease is different. Nowadays, many research have shown that CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Regulatory T cells(Treg) plays a inhibition role in protozoa, bacteria and virus infection, and is closely related to active tuberculosis also.So,we guess, if the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Regulatory T cells is related to leprosy? In order to find this answer, we examine the Tregs in leprosy, cured patients, and ENL patients, and compared to normal person. We hope that our research can contribute to find the relationship between Tregs and leprosy, and will be benefit to leprosy vaccine development.Method:Specimens come from The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical College, Yunnan center for disease control and prevention (YNCDC),Skin disease station of JinNing county, leprosy village of ShuangBai county, Xishan and Guangdu CDC.The leprosy patients are51,the cured people are26, the ENL are5,and the control are56. We use the flow cytometry to test the Tregs in four groups above mentioned. And use the SPSS19.0to analysis the results.Results:1.The Tregs in cured people and leprosy are higher than normal;2.The Tregs in cured people are higher than leprosy patients;3.The Tregs in ENL are lower than normal;4.In leprosy, the Tregs in PB is higher than MB;5.In cured people, the Tregs in PB lower than MB.6.The expression of Tregs in leprosy patient is:BT>BB>BL>LL(TT is absent).Conclusion:1.The number and dysfunctions of Tregs may be a reason for mycobacterium infection;2.The sharp drop of the Tregs may cause the imbalance of body immune, and may contribute to leprosy reaction.3.The cellular immune function is stronger in leprosy patients (especially in PB).Tregs may can restrain T cell activation and proliferation, so the body could avoid a strong immune response, and the tissue could not be damaged. From this aspect, we imagine that the Tregs may play a protective role.4.Although the clinical symptoms have disappeared completely in cured people, the Tregs is still remained at a high level, the body's immune function is unnormal.The body is susceptible with Mycobacterium leprae and this may increase the risk to leprosy infection.5.The number and the function of Tregs may affect the types evolution of leprosy.6.The Tregs may have a close relationship with cellular immune function of the leprosy patient.