ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pemphigus is a series of autoimmune skin disorders caused by IgG. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a subset of CD4+ T cells that mostly block pathogenic immune responses mediated by self-reactive cells; therefore, a lack of Tregs or a malfunction in their activity could lead to a loss of tolerance and the development of autoimmunity. AIMS: To evaluate the expression of lesional and perilesional Treg markers (CD4 + CD25 + bright FOXP3 + ) in pemphigus patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-three pemphigus patients and 20 healthy controls were included in this study. The expression of CD4 , CD25, and Foxp3 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: There was statistically significant increase in CD4+ T lymphocytes in lesional skin of pemphigus compared to perilesional skin and control group (p-value: 0.001). There was statistically significant decrease in CD25+ and Foxp3+ cells in lesional skin compared to perilesional and control group (p-value: <0.001, 0.025, respectively). CONCLUSION: The reduction of lesional skin Tregs may play an important role in the pemphigus pathogenesis.
