Soluble CD30 and cyclosporine in severe atopic dermatitis.
BACKGROUND
Allergen-reactive Th2-like cells expressing membrane CD30 are present in the circulation of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients during seasonal allergen exposure. Moreover, CD30+ T cells are present in the lesional skin of AD patients and high levels of soluble CD30 (sCD30) are found in the serum of the same atopic patients. To investigate the immunosuppressive capacity of cyclosporin A (CsA) in AD patients, the sCD30 serum level was determined before and after CsA treatment (5 mg/kg/day) in 10 patients with severe, refractory AD. The sCD30 serum levels before and after CsA therapy together with other serum parameters were correlated with disease activity.


METHODS
sCD30 serum levels were detected using a commercial sandwich ELISA; serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels were determined using a radioimmunoassay (RIA).


RESULTS
In all AD patients sCD30 serum levels were increased ranging from 36 to 300 U/ml, with a mean value equal to 135.7 U/ml. After 6 weeks of CsA treatment, not only was there a significant difference between serum sCD30 levels before (mean 135.7) and after (mean 96.2) treatment but even the serum ECP levels before (mean 57.78) and after (mean 18.69) therapy showed an important reduction. Moreover, no significant difference was found between the mean of serum IgE levels before and after treatment, although the values showed a correlation (p = 0.0003). No significant correlations could be demonstrated between sCD30 levels and serum IgE or between sCD30 and ECP serum levels nor between sCD30 levels and blood eosinophil count after CsA treatment. Moreover, a positive correlation (p = 0.001) was instead documented between sCD30 and the severity of the disease.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, CsA therapy results in clinical improvement together with a statistically significant reduction in sCD30 and ECP serum levels in AD patients.
Caproni
M
M
Department of Dermatology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Salvatore
E
E
Cardinali
C
C
Brazzini
B
B
Fabbri
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012260:Ribonucleases; D012995:Solubility; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D016572:Cyclosporine; D012260:Ribonucleases