Cytokine pattern in blister fluid and sera of patients with pemphigus.
BACKGROUND
Pemphigus is a chronic auto-immune blistering disease with four main variants, i.e. pemphigus vulgaris (PV), foliaceus (PF), erythematosus (PE) and vegetans. The common histological feature of this disease is acantholysis.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare levels of some cytokines in blister fluid and sera of patients with pemphigus, using as control blister fluid of patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP) and bullous contact dermatitis (BCD).


METHODS
Using an immuno-enzymatic assay (ELISA), we tested 16 sera and 6 blister fluids of patients with various forms of pemphigus (13 with PV, 1 with PF, 2 with PE), the sera of 16 healthy control subjects, 5 blister fluids of patients with BP and 5 blister fluids of patients with BCD, for the presence of some cytokines (IL-10, IL-8 and IFN-gamma). Intercellular antibodies were searched for and titred; desmoglein 1 and 3 antibody levels were independently evaluated to compare them with the severity of both cutaneous and oral involvement.


RESULTS
The levels of IL-10 in the sera of patients with pemphigus were below the detection limits. IL-8 was significantly increased only in 4 samples of sera from pemphigus patients compared with controls, while IFN-gamma was detected at low levels in almost all patients compared with sera of controls. The cytokine levels in blister fluid of patients with pemphigus were significantly higher than in the sera. There was a difference between the expression of cytokines in blister fluid of control patients with BP and BCD compared with those of pemphigus patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This report discusses the anti-inflammatory role played by IL-10 in the chronic form of pemphigus and the hypothesis of a possible role of IL-8 in neutrophil and lymphocyte-monocyte recruitment.
Baroni
Adone
A
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples II, Naples, Italy.
Perfetto
Brunella
B
Ruocco
Eleonora
E
Greco
Rita
R
Criscuolo
Daniela
D
Ruocco
Vincenzo
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D001768:Blister / Q000378:metabolism*; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry; D015820:Cadherins / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000378:metabolism; D051183:Desmoglein 1; D051184:Desmoglein 3; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000032:analysis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D015820:Cadherins; D016207:Cytokines; C071894:DSG3 protein, human; D051183:Desmoglein 1; D051184:Desmoglein 3; D016209:Interleukin-8; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma