Description:
<jats:p> Regulatory T cells (Treg) are a subset of T lymphocytes that play a central role in immunologic tolerance and in the termination of immune responses. The identification of these cells in normal and inflammatory conditions may contribute to a better understanding of underlying pathology. We investigated the expression of FOXP3 and GITR in normal skin and in a panel of different inflammatory dermatoses. Immunohistochemical double stainings in skin tissue sections revealed that FOXP3 and GITR were almost exclusively present on T cells that express both CD4 and CD25. Further, immunohistochemical double staining, as well as fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis, on peripheral blood T cells showed that most FOXP3<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> cells expressed GITR and vice versa, whereas a minority were single-positive for these markers. The mean frequency of FOXP3<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> T cells in spongiotic dermatitis, psoriasis, and lichen planus was in the same range (25-29%), but the frequency of these cells in leishmaniasis appeared to be lower (∼15%), although this was not statistically significant. The mean frequency of GITR<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> T cells was fairly similar in all conditions studied (14-20%). Normal human skin also contained FOXP3<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> and GITR<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> cells in the same frequency range as in diseased skin, but the absolute numbers were, of course, much lower. In conclusion, frequencies of FOXP3<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> and GITR<jats:sup>+</jats:sup> T cells were similar in all inflammatory skin diseases studied and normal skin, despite the well-known differences among the inflammatory conditions under investigation. </jats:p>