title: Cytokine pattern in blister fluid and sera of patients with pemphigus.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Adone
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.forename: Brunella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Perfetto
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruocco
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Criscuolo
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ruocco
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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