Immunophenotyping of inflammatory cells in subacute prurigo.
BACKGROUND
Subacute prurigo (SP) is a relatively common disease of papular cutaneous lesions that itch intensely. However, there is a lack of systematic clinical and histological studies on SP.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to immunophenotype inflammatory cells in SP using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry.


METHODS
Lesional and non-lesional skin of 21 patients with SP was investigated. Immunohistochemical staining for CD1a, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD15, CD34, CD68, and anti-human tryptase (AHT) was performed. In order to evaluate the absolute counts and percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of SP patients, flow cytometric methods were used.


RESULTS
Compared to non-lesional skin, there was a significant increase of the median percentage of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ cells in the lesional dermis (12.6% vs. 19.7%, P=0.044; 0.8% vs. 3.7%, P=0.016; and 1% vs. 15.6%, P=0.0039, respectively). The mean ± SD CD4+/CD8+ ratio was 0.58 ± 0.6. Median percentage of CD15+ cells was significantly increased in lesional skin as compared to non-lesional skin (11.7 vs. 1%, P=0.027). Median percentage immunoreactivity of CD68+ cells was significantly increased in lesional dermis as compared to non-lesional skin (32.5% vs. 9.4%, P=0.0005). CD1a, CD34, and AHT positive cells did not significantly differ between lesional and non-lesional skin. T lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of SP patients did not show significant pathologies.


CONCLUSIONS
We observed that the inflammatory cell infiltrate in SP mainly consists of T lymphocytes, particularly CD8+ cells, CD15+ neutrophils, and CD68+ macrophages.
Gambichler
T
T
Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. t.gambichler@klinikum-bochum.de
Skrygan
M
M
Werries
A
A
Scola
N
N
Stücker
M
M
Altmeyer
P
P
Kreuter
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011536:Prurigo / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule