title: Increased circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and imbalanced regulatory T-cell cytokines production in chronic idiopathic urticaria.
abstract: The immunologic characterization of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), mainly regarding cytokine profile needs more investigation. We examined circulating inflammatory cytokine levels, T-cell induced secretion, and cytokine mRNA expression in patients with CIU subjected to the intradermal autologous serum skin test (ASST). Increased levels of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-12p70, and IL-6 have been observed in most of patients with CIU, together with an enhancement of IL-2 secretion following T-cell stimulation. Highlighting the inflammatory profile in CIU found in ASST positive, is the enhanced B-cell proliferative responsiveness and increased IL-17 secretion levels. ASST-positive patients also exhibited impaired IL-4 secretion associated with increased IL-10 production. Altered cytokine expression in patients with ASST-negative, was the down-modulation of spontaneous IL-10 mRNA expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our findings support the concept of immunologic dysregulation in CIU, revealing a systemic inflammatory profile associated with disturbed cytokine production by T cells, mainly related to IL-17 and IL-10 production.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Dermatology and Immunodeficiencies (LIM-56), Department of Dermatology, Medical School of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Cristina
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.forename: Mayce Helena
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Azor
authors.forename: Viviane Yoshimi
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Nojima
authors.forename: Francinelson Duarte
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Lourenço
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prearo
authors.forename: Celina Wakisaka
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Maruta
authors.forename: Evandro Ararigbóia
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rivitti
authors.forename: Alberto José
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: da Silva Duarte
authors.forename: Maria Notomi
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008934:Mitogens / Q000633:toxicity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014581:Urticaria / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008934:Mitogens; D012333:RNA, Messenger