[Measurement of Candida-specific lymphocyte proliferation by flow cytometry in children with atopic dermatitis].
To study a role of Candida albicans in the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) from the viewpoint of cellular responses, we measured Candida-specific lymphocyte proliferation by flow cytometry in children with AD. There was no apparent age-dependent change in the level of Candida-SIF (stimulation index measured by flow cytometry) in either AD or non-atopic control subjects. The level of Candida-SIF was significantly higher in AD patients than in non-atopic controls (178.0 +/- 89.3 vs 137.9 +/- 37.6, p < 0.02), and the incidence of subjects with the elevated Candida-SIF level (> or = 200) was significantly higher in AD patients than in non-atopic controls (27.9% (17/61) vs 2.6% (1/38), p < 0.005). There was no correlation between the levels of Candida-SIF and Candida-specific IgE antibody. These results suggest that Candida albicans contributes to the development of AD in some patients not only by Type I, but also by Type IV hypersensitivity reactions.
Kimura
M
M
Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Shizuoka Children's Hospital.
Tsuruta
S
S
Yoshida
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation