Eosinophilic/T-Cell Chorionic Vasculitis and Chronic Villitis Involve Regulatory T Cells and Often Occur Together

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Eosinophilic/T-cell chorionic vasculitis (ETCV) is characterized by mixed T-cell, eosinophilic, and histiocytic infiltrates within the chorionic vessel wall. We sought to better characterize this lesion with respect to other pathologic correlates and the T-cell populations involved. Epidemiologic data and other pathologic diagnoses, including concurrent chronic villitis (CV), were tabulated for each case of ETCV diagnosed at our institution over a 6-year period. CD3, CD25, FOXP3, and dual FOXP3-CD3 immunostains were used to identify regulatory T-cell populations in ETCV and CV. Cells positive for CD3, FOXP3, and CD25 were quantitated by manual counts of ×40 fields at the sites of ETCV and CV, and FOXP3∶CD3 and CD25∶CD3 ratios were calculated. Digital analysis of ETCV and CV using the dual FOXP3-CD3 immunostain was also performed on select cases. Of 31 ETCV cases, 10 (32%) were accompanied by CV and 13 (42%) by a thrombus in the vessel affected by ETCV. The mean Treg cell marker∶CD3 ratios in ETCV ranged from 0.18 to 0.26 by manual count and digital analysis, but the counts did not statistically differ by method. The mean Treg cell marker∶CD3 ratios in CV ranged from 0.37 to 0.39 by manual count and 0.19 by digital analysis, but these counts also did not statistically differ by method. Chronic villitis was seen in one-third of ETCV cases. FOXP3+ and CD25+ regulatory T cells represent a significant subpopulation of T cells in ETCV and CV, suggesting that they may play a role in these entities.