Interleukin 2 therapy in severe atopic dermatitis.
Interleukin 2 (IL-2) at a dose of 10,000 to 20,000 U/kg/q 8 hr was given for 9-12 days to six patients with cases of severe atopic dermatitis (AD) which were refractory to conventional therapy. After IL-2 therapy, the clinical symptoms and signs of eczema including pruritus, scratching, papulovesicles, and lichenification were much improved, but all of them recurred 2-6 weeks after stopping treatment. Adverse reactions were similar to those reported previously, but all of them subsided after discontinuation of therapy. Laboratory findings showed decreased T-cell subsets, especially CD4+ cells, and increased IL-2R+ (CD25) cells, but there was no significant change in serum IL-2, serum IgE, or in vitro IgE production. Immunopathological studies of the skin biopsies showed decreased mononuclear-cell infiltration, depletion of CD4+ cells, and enhanced expression of CD25 and HLA-DR antigens. As lymphokine-activated killer (LAK)-cell activity against cultured fibroblasts was similar in patients with AD and in normals and CD1+ Langerhans cells were not decreased after IL-2 therapy, we speculate that the depletion of helper/inducer CD4+ cells and hence abrogation of the exaggerated antigen processing and cellular activation in diseased skin are the explanation for the transient efficacy of IL-2 in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.
Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Republic of China.
K H
KH
Hsieh
C C
CC
Chou
S F
SF
Huang
D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E