Tissue eosinophilia in pemphigoid gestationis: association with eotaxin and upregulated activation markers on transmigrated eosinophils.
OBJECTIVE
We studied chemotactic cytokines and activation of skin-homed eosinophils in pemphigoid gestationis, a rare autoimmune bullous disease of late pregnancy.


METHODS
Eotaxin and interleukin (IL)-5 were analysed in patients' blister fluid and serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Lesional tissue was investigated for eotaxin deposition by immunohistochemistry. Adhesion molecules and activation markers on tissue eosinophils were analysed by immunofluorescence staining.


RESULTS
Eotaxin was elevated in serum of two pemphigoid gestationis patients compared with nine healthy pregnant women. Blister fluid contained even higher amounts of eotaxin and in addition IL-5. Eotaxin was mainly expressed in subepidermal tissue in close proximity to eosinophils that expressed high levels of adhesion molecules (CD11b, CD11c, CD18 and CD49d) and the activation marker HLA-DR.


CONCLUSIONS
High local levels of eotaxin and IL-5 as present in the blister fluid correspond to the high state of activation of the infiltrated eosinophils.
Günther
Claudia
C
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Wozel
Gottfried
G
Dressler
Jan
J
Meurer
Michael
M
Pfeiffer
Christiane
C
D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001768:Blister / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
D000906:Antibodies; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D015848:Interleukin-5; C515456:CCL11 protein, human; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule