CD4 and cyst: Similar studies in CE patients hadalso shown that CD3+ T cells, CD3+CD56+ natural killer T cells (NKT) and B cells were the most frequent infiltrating cells at the periphery of hepatic CE  lesions; the predominance of CD3+-immunostained cells with weak expression of CD4+ and CD8+ subtypes in CE biopsies also highlighted the role CD3+CD56+NKTs in the partial protection towards E. granulosus metacestode growth by the host’s immune system; it might be involved in the differences in cyst size we observed between the LDG and the HDG29.