Clinical immunology
Possible defect of regulatory T cells in patients with ulcerative colitis

Jacek Karczewski, Marek Karczewski

(Centr Eur J Immunol 2011; 36 (4): 254-255)

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Background : The dysfunction of regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been implied in the development of several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Our project aimed to investigate the frequency of peripheral Tregs in patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic relapsing and remitting inflammatory gastrointestinal tract condition.

Material and methods : A group of 40 adults with active UC was enrolled. The disease had been diagnosed and confirmed by endoscopic means. Only patients treated with conventional therapies were recruited to the study. A cytometric analysis was performed to evaluate the levels of peripheral Tregs and interleukin 10 (IL-10) in the investigated patients.

Results : A statistical analysis showed a significantly lower percentage of Tregs in the UC patients compared with the control patients (p < 0.05), while no significant difference in the mean levels of serum IL-10 was observed (p > 0.05).

Discussion : The lower percentage of Tregs observed in the UC patients might result from a numerical and/or functional defect of these cells. Normal, but not elevated, levels of IL-10 in the serum of UC patients might also suggest the numerical defect of Tregs. Further research is needed to evaluate the potential of Treg adoptive transfer method for UC treatment.

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