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Updated: Apr 23, 2026
In Vitro Differentiation of Human CD4+FOXP3+ Induced Regulatory T Cells (iTregs) from Naïve CD4+ T Cells Using a TGF-β-containing Protocol
Published on: December 30, 2016
Target tissue ectoenzyme CD39/CD73-expressing Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in patients with psoriasis
1Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China.
Background:
Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease, in which regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an important role. Recently, human Treg ectoenzymes (CD39/CD73) have been reported to mediate the suppressive activity of Tregs.
Aim:
To investigate the proportions of CD39/CD73 expressing Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells in different types of psoriatic lesions.
Methods:
Immunohistochemical staining was used to analyse expression of Foxp3, CD39 and CD73 in biopsy tissue from healthy controls and from patients with different types of psoriasis.
Results:
In normal control biopsies, CD39(+) cells were scattered throughout the epidermis and dermis, while CD73(+) cells were localized predominantly in the dermis. The proportion of cells that were both CD39(+) and Foxp3(+) was significantly lower in pustular psoriasis (PP) and erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) than in psoriasis vulgaris (PV) (25.0 ± 2.6%, 26.5 ± 2.0% and 45.1 ± 3.5%, respectively; P < 0.001). Likewise, CD73(+) Foxp3(+) cells were lower in PP and EP than in PV (6.2 ± 1.9%, 11.6 ± 2.8% and 17.7 ± 2.3% respectively, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the population size of double-staining cells in EP compared with PP.
Conclusion:
The relative reduced expressions of CD39 and CD73 within Foxp3(+) Tregs may imply a different immunopathogenesis for different psoriatic lesions.
