@article{29300,
  keywords = {leprosy},
  author = {Tarique M and Saini C and Naqvi RA and Khanna N and Rao D N},
  title = {Increased IL-35 producing Tregs and CD19(+)IL-35(+) cells are associated with disease progression in leprosy patients.},
  abstract = {<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>The clinical forms of leprosy consist of a spectrum that reflects the host's immune response to the M. leprae; it provides an ideal model to study the host pathogen interaction and immunological dysregulation in humans. IL-10 and TGF-β producing Tregs are high in leprosy patients and responsible for immune suppression and M. leprae specific T cells anergy. In leprosy, involvement of IL-35 producing Tregs and Bregs remain unstudied.</p>

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>To study the role of IL-35 producing Tregs and Bregs in the human leprosy.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from leprosy patients were isolated and stimulated with M. leprae antigen (MLCwA) for 48h. Intracellular cytokine IL-35 was evaluated in CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs, CD19(+) cells by FACS. Expression of PD-1 on CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs, CD19(+) cells and its ligand (PD-L1) on B cells, CD11c cells were evaluated by flow cytometry (FACS). Serum IL-35 level was estimated by ELISA.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>The frequency of IL-35 producing Tregs and Bregs cells were found to be high in leprosy patients (p&lt;0.0001) as compared to healthy controls. These cells produced suppressive cytokine IL-35 which showed positive correlation with bacteriological index (BI) and TGF-β producing Tregs, indicating its suppressive nature. We found higher expression of PD-1 on Tregs, B cell and its ligand (PD-L1) on antigen presenting cells in leprosy patients.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>This study point out a shift in our understanding of the immunological features that mediate and regulate the immune suppression and the disease progression in leprosy patients with a new paradigm (IL-35 producing Tregs and Bregs) that is beyond TGF-β and IL-10 producing Treg cells.</p>
},
  year = {2016},
  journal = {Cytokine},
  volume = {91},
  pages = {82-88},
  issn = {1096-0023},
  doi = {10.1016/j.cyto.2016.12.011},
  language = {eng},
}