title: Interleukin-8 immunoreactivity in epidermis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma patients.
abstract: The histopathologic hallmark of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is collections of malignant T cells in the epidermis. The mechanism(s) involved in the T-cell localization is unknown, however recent evidence suggests that cytokines play a role. Since Interleukin-8 functions both as a leukocyte and lymphocyte chemoattractant, we measured IL-8 expression in skin of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma patients. Lesional skin was obtained by biopsy from cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) patients and patients suffering from other dermatoses and subjected to in situ hybridization with a 35S-Riboprobe and immunofluorescence to detect IL-8. Fourteen out of 15 lesional biopsies from histologically proven CTCL patients displayed intense epidermal IL-8 immunoreactivity compared to negligible reactivity in sections from 14 normal patients and other inflammatory dermatoses. These results were corroborated by strong hybridization signals using IL-8 probes in only the lesional CTCL skin. Lesional CTCL epidermis contains elevated levels of IL-8 mRNA and protein suggesting a role for this cytokine in the pathogenesis of the disease.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Division of Dermatology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wismer
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Sauder
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012333:RNA, Messenger