Ann Dermatol.  2017 Oct;29(5):578-585. 10.5021/ad.2017.29.5.578.

A Study of the Changes of T Helper 17 Cells and Regulatory T Cells in Herpes Zoster

• Kim MS
• Kim DJ
• Na CH
• Shin BS

• KMID: 2388909
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2017.29.5.578

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Immunosuppression and age-related deficiencies in cell-mediated immunity are important factors for the reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV). CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ regulatory T (Treg) cells and T helper 17 (Th17) cells are closely associated with various viral infections.
OBJECTIVE
We analyzed Treg cells and Th17 cells in patients with herpes zoster and investigated their relationship with the reactivation of latent VZV.
METHODS
Treg and Th17 cells in peripheral blood and the ratio of Th17 to Treg cells were examined in patients with herpes zoster and healthy controls. Changes between pre-treatment and post-treatment estimates of Treg and Th17 cells and clinical parameters in patients with herpes zoster were also analyzed.
RESULTS
The proportion of circulating Th17 cells and the Th17/Treg cell ratio were significantly higher in patients with herpes zoster than controls (p=0.012, 0.013), but there was no significant difference in the proportion of Treg cells between groups. There was no significant difference in the proportions of Treg and Th17 cells and the Th17/Treg cell ratio before and after treatment and between the non-postherpetic neuralgia and postherpetic neuralgia groups. Changes in Treg and Th17 cells and the Th17/Treg cell ratio were not significantly correlated with changes in the visual analog scale. Body surface area was significantly correlated with Treg cells, Th17 cells, and the Th17/Treg cell ratio (p=0.022, 0.002, 0.004).
CONCLUSION
An imbalance between Th17 and Treg cells is associated with the reactivation of VZV, which may contribute to pathogenesis of herpes zoster.

Keyword

Herpes zoster; Regulatory T cells; Th17 cells; Varicella-zoster virus

MeSH Terms

Body Surface Area
Herpes Zoster*
Herpesvirus 3, Human
Humans
Immunity, Cellular
Immunosuppression
Neuralgia
Neuralgia, Postherpetic
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory*
Th17 Cells
Visual Analog Scale

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Percentages of circulating regulatory T (Treg) cells (A), T helper 17 (Th17) cells (B) and the ratio of Th17 to Treg cells (C) in patients with herpes zoster and healthy controls. Data were expressed as the means±standard deviations in the table. The inset lines represented Median. Statistically significant differences were determined by Mann-Whitney U test. *p<0.05.

• 

  Fig. 2 Percentages of circulating regulatory T (Treg) cells (A), T helper 17 (Th17) cells (B) and the ratio of Th17 to Treg cells (C) in patients with herpes zoster between pre-treatment and post-treatment. Data were expressed as the means±standard deviations in the table. The inset lines represented Median. Statistically significant differences were determined by Wilcoxon signed rank test.

• 

  Fig. 3 The correlations between changes (Δ) of regulatory T (Treg) (A), T helper 17 (Th17) (B), ratio of Th17 to Treg (C) in peripheral blood and changes (Δ) of visual analog scale (VAS) of herpes zoster patient. Percentages of circulating Treg cells (D), Th17 cells (E) and the ratio of Th17 to Treg cells (F) in patients with non-postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) group and PHN group. The correlations between body surface area (BSA) and Treg (G), Th17 (H) and the ratio of Th17 to Treg (I). (A∼C) Linear regression analysis was used to fit lines on graphs. Statistically significant differences were determined by Pearson's correlation analysis. (D∼F) The inset lines represented Median. Statistically significant differences were determined by Mann-Whitney U test. (G∼I) The inset lines are linear regression lines. Statistically significant differences were determined by Pearson's correlation analysis.

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