Hepatic lymphocytes involved in the pathogenesis of pediatric and adult non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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ABSTRACT: The immune response is critical in NAFLD pathogenesis, but the liver infiltrate's composition and the role of each T cell population is still up for debate. To characterize liver pathogenesis in pediatric and adult cases, frequency and localization of immune cell populations [Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CD8+), T helper Lymphocytes (CD4+), Regulatory T lymphocytes (Foxp3+) and Th17 (IL-17A+)] were evaluated. In portal/periportal (P/P) tracts, both age groups displayed a similar proportion of CD8+?and CD4+?lymphocytes. However, comparable Foxp3+?and IL-17A+?cell frequencies were observed in pediatric cases, meanwhile, in adults Foxp3+?was higher than IL-17A+?cells. Interestingly, IL-17A+?lymphocytes seemed to be nearly exclusive of P/P area in both age groups. In intralobular areas, both pediatric and adult cases showed CD8+?lymphocytes predominance with lower frequencies of CD4+?lymphocytes followed by Foxp3+?. Severe inflammation was associated with higher intralobular Foxp3+?lymphocytes (p?=?0.026) in children, and lower P/P Foxp3+?and higher IL-17A+?lymphocytes in adults. All cases with fibrosis???2 displayed P/P low Foxp3+?and high IL-17A+?lymphocyte counts. Pediatric cases with worse steatosis showed high P/P CD4+?(p?=?0.023) and intralobular CD8+?(p?=?0.027) and CD4+?cells (p?=?0.012). In NAFLD cases, the lymphocyte liver infiltrate composition differs between histological areas. Treg and Th17 balance seems to condition damage progression, denoting their important role in pathogenesis.
SUBMITTER: Cairoli V
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7933421 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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