Abstract:

Objective To determine the level of peripheral CD4+CD25+ regulatory T lymphocytes in patients with vitiligo at different stages and to study its relationship with the development of vitiligo. Methods Blood samples were collected from 34 outpatients with vitiligo, including 19 cases of progressive vitiligo and 15 cases of stable vitiligo, as well as from 20 normal human controls. Flow cytometry was used to detect the levels of peripheral CD4+ and CD4+CD25+ T lymphocytes in these samples. Results Compared with the controls, the percentage of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T lymphocytes in peripheral lymphocytes was significantly lower in patients with progressive vitiligo than those in patients with stable vitiligo and normal human controls ［（2.43 ± 0.30）% vs （3.49 ± 0.39）% and （3.34 ± 0.24）%, both P < 0.05］, but no significant difference was found between patients with stable vitiligo and normal human controls （P > 0.05）. A significantly negative correlation was observed between the percentage of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T lymphocytes and lesion area in patients with progressive vitiligo （r = -0.48, P < 0.05）, but not in patients with stable vitiligo （P > 0.05）. There was no significant correlation between the course of disease and the percentage of peripheral CD4+CD25+ regulatory T lymphocytes in patients with progressive vitiligo or stable vitiligo （both P > 0.05）. Conclusion There is an abnormal proportion of peripheral CD4+CD25+ regulatory T lymphocytes in patients with vitiligo, which may be related to the development of vitiligo.