Profile of local interleukin expression in a cohort of ocular cicatricial pemphigoid patients.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the expression of IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, IL-13, and IL-17 in the conjunctiva of patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP), also labeled as ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP).


METHODS
A retrospective case-control study was done on 5 biopsy-proven OCP subjects and 6 healthy volunteers. Conjunctival specimens were obtained, and the local expression of IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, IL-13, and IL-17 was studied by immunohistochemistry. Clinical and therapeutic features were collected during follow-up.


RESULTS
No remarkable IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, IL-13, or IL-17 expression was observed in normal conjunctival specimens. All OCP samples had remarkable amounts of IL-12 and IL-17 expression especially in the epithelium and stroma; there also was stromal overexpression of IL-6. The mean follow-up after the biopsy was 13 months (range 9-15 months).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrated, for the first time to our knowledge, a local overexpression of IL-6, IL-12, and IL-17 in conjunctiva of OCP compared to controls.
Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Ana M
AM
Suelves
Tong Z
TZ
Zhao
Sana S
SS
Siddique
C Stephen
CS
Foster
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010390:Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D007378:Interleukins