Sweet's syndrome: is the pathogenesis mediated by helper T cell type 1 cytokines?
BACKGROUND
The pathogenesis of Sweet's syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis; SS) is still not fully understood. An imbalance between helper T cell types 1 and 2 cytokine secretion patterns has been shown to be relevant in many diseases.


OBJECTIVE
We assessed the serum cytokine levels (interleukin [IL]-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2, interferon gamma [IFN-gamma], IL-4) in patients with SS.


METHODS
Eight patients with SS were analyzed for their clinical features and serum cytokine levels and compared with normal control subjects.


RESULTS
In patients serum levels of IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2, and IFN-gamma were significantly elevated, whereas the IL-4 level was within the normal range.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the pathogenesis of SS is probably mediated through helper T cell type 1 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-gamma) rather than helper T cell type 2 cytokines (IL-4).
Giasuddin
A S
AS
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Arab Medical University, Benghazi, Libya.
El-Orfi
A H
AH
Ziu
M M
MM
El-Barnawi
N Y
NY
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D016463:Sweet Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma