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T regulatory cells and related immunoregulatory factors in polymorphic light eruption following ultraviolet A1 challenge
Author(s) -
Gambichler T.,
Terras S.,
Kampilafkos P.,
Kreuter A.,
Skrygan M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/bjd.12608
Subject(s) - library science , medicine , dermatology , family medicine , computer science
Summary Background Polymorphic light eruption ( PLE ) is considered to be an autoimmune‐mediated skin condition in which the normal ultraviolet ( UV )‐induced local immunosuppression appears to be absent, leading to recognition of photoinduced autoantigens and subsequent inflammation. Objectives To investigate T regulatory cells (Tregs) and related immunoregulatory factors in PLE lesions and controls. Methods Skin biopsies were performed in 13 patients with UVA 1‐challenged PLE , 12 female patients with chronic discoid lupus erythematosus ( CDLE ) and 11 healthy controls who had exposure to UVA 1. Immunohistochemistry and four‐colour immunofluorescence studies were performed. Results Patients with CDLE and UVA 1‐exposed controls showed significantly decreased epidermal immunoreactivity for CD 1a compared with patients with PLE ( P = 0·0001). Four‐colour immunofluorescence revealed a median percentage of CD 4+ CD 25+ FOXP 3+ Tregs of 7·6% (range 3·7–13·6%) in PLE , a median of 11·7% (range 9·5–13·9%) in CDLE and a median of 3·4% (range 0–6·8%) in controls. Compared with UVA 1‐exposed controls, PLE and CDLE lesions showed significantly decreased transforming growth factor ( TGF )‐β1 immunoreactivity in the epidermis ( P = 0·0003). In PLE lesions, we observed significantly decreased interleukin ( IL )‐10 expression compared with CDLE ( P = 0·022). In the dermis, receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand ( RANKL ) expression was increased in UVA 1‐exposed controls compared with PLE and CDLE ( P = 0·018). Conclusions Similar to CDLE lesions, UVA 1‐challenged PLE lesions display an altered immunoregulatory network, as indicated by decreased epidermal or dermal expression of TGF ‐β1, IL ‐10 and RANKL , and a relatively low number of Tregs, particularly when compared with other inflammatory skin conditions reported in the literature.