title: Subacute and chronic prurigo effectively treated with recombination interferon-gamma: implications for participation of Th2 cells in the pathogenesis of prurigo.
abstract: Subacute and chronic prurigo is notoriously resistant to usual therapies. Four of five patients with a subacute or chronic form of prurigo responded well to daily intravenous injections of recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) (0.25-2 x 10(6) Japan Reference Unit (JRU; 1 JRU roughly corresponds to 4 NIH units) daily, for 10-14 days). In one patient examined, the dermal portion of lesional skin before the treatment contained considerable amounts of mRNA for interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-10, indicative of infiltration of Th2 cells. Furthermore, the administration of rIFN-gamma selectively down-regulated mRNA for Th2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These findings suggest that Th2 cells play a pathogenic role in these types of prurigo and that rIFN-gamma exerts its efficacy by inhibiting Th2 cells. Our pilot study suggests that the systemic administration of rIFN-gamma is a therapeutic alternative for the treatment of recalcitrant prurigo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tokura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanaoka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Towyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sachi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sekizuka
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takigawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D011536:Prurigo / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D007378:Interleukins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma