title: Immunohistochemical localization of interleukin-6-like immunoreactivity to peripheral nerve-like structures in normal and inflamed human skin.
abstract: Interleukin-6-like (IL-6-like) immunoreactivity was sought in inflamed and normal human skin using the same immunohistochemical technique as for detection of neuropeptides. Such immunoreactivity was found in dermal and in a few intraepidermal nerve-like fibres in biopsy specimens from inflamed skin from patients with positive epicutaneous patch-test reactions to nickel sulphate, and in skin specimens from patients with atopic dermatitis and prurigo nodularis. However, IL-6-like immunoreactivity was also found in nerve-like fibres in specimens from nonlesional skin. In skin from patients with positive epicutaneous patch-test reactions there was a statistically significantly (P < 0.01) higher number of IL-6-positive nerve fibres in the epidermis than in normal skin, in contrast to the papillary dermis, in which no difference was found. Moreover, there were clusters of nerve-like fibres with IL-6-like immunoreactivity in the dermis of prurigo nodularis lesions. In these nerve-like fibres, the colocalization of the immunoreactivities for IL-6 and calcitonin gene-related peptide was indicated. Localization of immunoreactivity to nerve-like structures surrounding the eccrine sweat glands indicates that IL-6 is present in autonomic as well as in sensory nerve fibres.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Academic Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nordlind
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brakenhoff
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Theodorsson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lidén
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis*; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000737:chemistry*; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000294:innervation
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6