T lymphocyte activation and expression of costimulatory molecules in filarial elephantiasis

ABSTRACT

This study was carried in 48 patients with positive blood films for W. bancrofti microfilaria and 12 cross matched healthy control persons. All the studied cases were submitted to flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells using monoclonal antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD8, CD28, HLA-DR. In this study, there was a significant decrease in CD3 and CD4 T lymphocytes but the changes in CD8 T cells and CD28 expression on CD8 T lymphocytes was insignificant while the activation marker HLA-DR expression on CD4 T lymphocytes was increased