Journal of

Background and Aim: The heterogenous population of memory T lymphocytes is distinguished based on surface markers and effector functions such as cytokine secretion. Recently, two subsets of memory T cells are defined by expression of chemokine receptor CCR7 and CD45RA designating as "central memory" T cells (T_CM) and "effector memory" T cells (T_EM). The objective of this staudy was to evaluate the phenotype and function of these lymphocytes in healed cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Methods: The phenotype of lymphocytes were determined in blood samples of 13 volunteers with history of self healing cutaneous leishmaniasis (HCL) and in 6 healthy controls.
Results: No significant difference was found in memory T cell subsets between HCL volunteers and healthy controls using flow cytometry. However, following sorting of different memory subsets, a significantly higher proliferation was seen in cells of HCL volunteers comparing to the control group. A significantly higher IFN-γ response in T_EM and a significantly higher IL-2 response in T_CM were observed in cell culture of HCL volunteers comparing controls.
Conclusion: The responses were elicited when the cells were stimulate with SLA in vitro, it is concluded Leishmania-specific T_EM and Leishmania-specific T_CM subsets exist in HCL volunteers and since the volunteers with history of CL presumed to be protected against reinfection, it seems that both T_CM and T_EM play role in the protection against Leishmania infection in these individuals.

Background and Aim: As a blistering agent, mustard gas causes a variety of disorders in different body organs, including the skin, such as altrations in DNA and clinical manifestations like pruritus. TGF-β1 molecule is a cytokine with anti-cell growth and inflammation suppression effects in skin inflammation. The aim of this study was to determine TGF-β1 gene exprtession in victims exposed to mustard gas and the correlation with the severity of their pruritus.
Methods: 17 victims exposed to mustard gas, 17 patients with chronic contact dermatitis and 10 healthy individuals were included in the study. The assessment of TGF-β1 expression in their skin samples was conducted by semi-quantitative RT-PCR followed by immunohistochemistry and classification of patients was done by pruritus severity scoring system (0-3).
Results: There was a significant decrease in TGF-β1 gene expression in mustard gas exposed victims comparing to chronic contact dermatitis group and the control group (P<0.05). In addition, in the absence of TGF-β1 expression, the severity of pruritus in the patient group significantly increased (P<0.05).
Conclusion: TGF-β1 has a significant role in chronic inflammatory skin lesions caused by mustard gas.