A 1-Year-Old Boy Is Brought to the Office for Medical

A 1-year-old boy is brought to the office for medical evaluation.  The patient was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus.  He has also had chronic diarrhea, failure to thrive, and eczematous dermatitis since early infancy.  Small bowel biopsy reveals villous atrophy and extensive lymphocytic infiltration.  Immunologic testing shows significantly increased serum immunoglobulins and decreased IL-10 and transforming growth factor-beta levels.  Genetic testing reveals a missense mutation affecting FOXP3.  Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's current condition?

A) Defective B-cell differentiation into plasma cells
B) Dysfunction of regulatory T cells
C) Dysfunction of T-helper cell type 17
D) Impaired immunoglobulin isotype switching
E) Impaired positive selection of thymic T cells

Correct Answer:

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