Local CD4+Foxp3+ T cell response in tonsil of children with EBV infection

AMARILLO ME; MOYANO, A; FERRESSINI GERPE, NM; DE MATTEO, E; PRECIADO, M. V.; PAOLA ANDREA CHABAY

Mar del Plata

Congreso; Reunión Anual Sociedades de Biociencias; 2022

Our aim was to study CD4+ T cells in tonsils from children with Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection. We studied 37 patients undergoing tolsillectomy. EBV infection status was defined by serology and viral load was assessed by qPCR and expressed as copy/ug DNA.Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed for IL-10, LMP1 and EBNA2 proteins. CD4+ T cells were characterized by Foxp3 and CD4 double IHC.IL-10, Foxp3, CD4 and double staining counts were differentiated between germinal center (GC) and interfollicular (IF) regions of the tonsil. Results were expressed as positive cells/mm2.13 patients were primary infected (PI), 6 with reactivation (R), 14 healthy carriers (HC) and 4 no infected (NI). There was a significant difference in the CD4+, Foxp3+ and CD4+/Foxp3+ cell count between the GC and the IF regions of the tonsil in the entire cohort (p˂0.0001). No differences were observed in CD4+, Foxp3+ and CD4+/Foxp3+ cell number among PI, R and HC, as well as between infected and NI patients (p>0.05).Significant lower CD4+ cell count was proved at IF region in PI, R and HC compared to NI children (p