Hyperresponsibility to exogeneous interleukin 4 in atopic dermatitis.
Many humoral and cellular immunological abnormalities have been reported in atopic dermatitis (AD). Since interleukin 4 (IL-4) enhances IgE production and IgE-Fc receptor expression by B cells as well as [3H]-TdR incorporation by T cells, we hypothesized that IL-4 may play an important role in the regulation of the immune response in AD. We examined [3H]-TdR incorporation by peripheral blood lymphocytes from AD patients or from non-AD controls in the presence or absence of IL-4 or interleukin 2 (IL-2). We found that IL-4/IL-2 responsiveness was significantly higher in AD than controls, although the IgE levels did not seem to be correlated with IL-4/IL-2 responsiveness. It is possible that most humoral and cellular immunological abnormalities of AD may be due to this hyperresponsibility to IL-4.
Furue
M
M
Ogata
F
F
Ootsuki
M
M
Ishibashi
Y
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E