CD16+ monocytes in human cutaneous leishmaniasis: increased ex vivo levels and correlation with clinical data

Peripheral blood CD16 (Fc receptor for immunoglobulin G III)-positive monocytes have been shown to expand in different pathological conditions, such as cancer, asthma, sepsis, human immunodeficiency virus infection, and AIDS progression, but data in leishmaniasis are lacking. We found that cutaneous leishmaniasis patients (n = 15) displayed a significant increase in the percentage (3.5 vs. 10.1) as well as mean fluorescent intensity (13.5 vs. 29.2) of ex vivo CD16 expression in monocytes as compared with healthy controls. We observed a significant positive correlation between the percentage of ex vivo CD16+ monocytes and lesion size (P = 0.0052, r = 0.75) or active transforming growth factor-beta plasma levels (P = 0.0017, r = 0.78). In addition, two patients with nonhealing lesions during a 3-year follow-up had high (9.1-19.4%) CD16 levels at diagnosis. Our data suggest a deleterious role for CD16 in human leishmaniasis, as well as its possible use as a marker for disease severity and/or adverse disease outcome.