Abstract: ObjectiveTo analysis the subsets of the lymphocyte and dendritic cells (DC) in peripheral blood in patients with neurosyphilis and investigate the relationship between these cells and onset of neurosyphilis.MethodsThe subsets of CD4+T cells as well as DCs and the counts of CD4+T and CD8+T were analyzed by flow cytometry with immunofluorescent staining in 8 patients with neurosyphilis and 10 healthy controls.ResultsIn peripheral blood of neurosyphilis patients the proportion of CD4+T cell was significantly higher than that in the normal controls ( P<0.01); the proportion of CD8+T cell was significantly lower than that in the normal controls ( P<0.05). The proportion of Th1, Th2 and the ratio of Th1/Th2 in neurosyphilis patients was (14.12±5.12)%, (1.52±0.88)% and (12.05±5.62), respectively. In normal controls, it was (26.10±4.98)%, (0.99±0.35)% and (31.62±16.62) respectively. The expression of Th1 and the ratio of Th1/Th2 in neurosyphilis patients was significantly lower than the normal controls (P<0.05). The proportion of DC1 and DC2 in neurosyphilis patients was not significantly different from that in normal controls ( P>0.05). There was a significant correlation between DC1 and Th1, DC2 and Th2 in the neurosyphilis patients ( P<0.051), but no correlation between the proportion of DCs and the ratio of Th1/Th2 ( P>0.05).ConclusionThe cellular immune function of neurosyphilis patients may be inhibited, and there is no relationship between the proportion of DCs subset and unbalance of Th1/Th2.

Key words: neurosyphilis, dendritic cell, lymphocyte, flow cytometry