Increased serum cutaneous T cell-attracting chemokine (CCL27) levels in patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis vulgaris.
BACKGROUND
Both atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) are characterized as chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin diseases associated with various immunologic abnormalities. Cutaneous T cell-attracting chemokine (CTACK; CCL27) is a member of the CC chemokine family and a functional ligand for CC chemokine receptor 10. It is selectively expressed in skin and attracts CC chemokine receptor 10-expressing skin-homing memory T cells. The epidermal keratinocyte is a main source of CTACK, suggesting the involvement of various inflammatory skin diseases.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this investigation was to clarify whether CTACK produced by keratinocytes is detected in the sera of patients with AD and PsV and to examine the correlation between the serum CTACK levels and disease activity of patients with AD and PsV.


METHODS
We measured the serum CTACK levels in 50 patients with AD, 30 patients with PsV, and 22 healthy control subjects. We also divided 50 patients with AD into 3 groups (ie, those with mild, moderate, and severe disease) and compared them among 3 categories. Moreover, we compared the serum CTACK levels of patients with AD and PsV with clinical or laboratory data. Immunohistochemical staining of CTACK and IFN-induced protein of 10 kd (IP-10; CXCL10) was performed on the lesional skin of patients with AD and PsV.


RESULTS
The serum CTACK levels in patients with AD and PsV were significantly higher than those in healthy control subjects. The serum CTACK levels in patients with AD significantly correlated with scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) scores, serum soluble IL-2 receptor levels, serum soluble E-selectin levels, serum thymus and activation-regulated chemokine levels, and serum macrophage-derived chemokine levels. Serum CTACK levels in patients with PsV significantly correlated with the serum IP-10 levels but not with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score. Immunohistochemical staining showed CTACK was strongly expressed in lesional ke-ratinocytes of patients with AD and PsV, whereas IP-10 was strongly expressed in lesional keratinocytes of patients with PsV and focally in those with AD.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that CTACK might be one of the important chemokines for the pathogenesis of AD and PsV.
Kakinuma
Takashi
T
Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Saeki
Hidehisa
H
Tsunemi
Yuichiro
Y
Fujita
Hideki
H
Asano
Noriko
N
Mitsui
Hiroshi
H
Tada
Yayoi
Y
Wakugawa
Motoshi
M
Watanabe
Takahiro
T
Torii
Hideshi
H
Komine
Mayumi
M
Asahina
Akihiko
A
Nakamura
Koichiro
K
Tamaki
Kunihiko
K
D000328:Adult; D054425:Chemokine CCL27; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000097:blood*; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000097:blood; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013194:Staining and Labeling
C492276:CCL27 protein, human; D054425:Chemokine CCL27; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D019743:Chemokines, CXC