Changes in peripheral blood Th1/Th2 cell balance in patients with condyloma acuminatum.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association of peripheral blood T helper type 1 (Th1) and type 2 (Th2) imbalance with the occurrence of condyloma acuminatum (CA).

METHODS

Interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) secreted by CD4(+) T-cells were detected by flow cytometry in 40 patients with CA and 20 healthy volunteers, and significance of Th1/Th2 cell ratio in the etiology of the CA was analyzed.

RESULTS

Peripheral blood Th1 cells that secreted IFN-gamma were significantly decreased in number in patients with CA (P <0.05), while Th2 cells producing IL-4 increased (P <0.05). The Th1/Th2 cell ratio was significantly reduced in CA patients as compared with the health control subjects (P <0.01).

CONCLUSION

Increases of Th2 cells and decrease of Th1 cells in the peripheral blood of CA patients result in relative Th2 predominance and breach the Th1/Th2 balance, which may play an important role in the etiology and recurrence of CA.