title: Decrease in chymase activity is associated with increase in IL-6 expression in mast cells in atopic dermatitis.
abstract: Mast cell chymase and interleukin (IL)-6 can be involved in atopic dermatitis and chymase can degrade IL-6. Our aim was therefore to study the expression of mast cell chymase and IL-6 in atopic skin using enzyme- and immunohistochemistry and to analyse their interaction in vitro. Chymase activity was significantly reduced in mast cells in skin lesions whereas the percentage of IL-6(+) mast cells was increased. Low recombinant human (rh)-chymase concentration (10-100 ng/ml) stimulated and higher concentration (1,000 ng/ml) inhibited the proliferation of T cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Rh-IL-6 inhibited T-cell proliferation, and even inhibited the proliferation induced by rh-chymase. Pretreatment of rh-IL-6 with a high rh-chymase concentration prevented the IL-6-induced inhibition in T-cell proliferation. The results suggest that reduction in chymase activity can give rise to increased cellular effects of mast cell IL-6 and that chymase and IL-6 can modify each other's effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, 70211 Kuopio, Finland. tiina.ilves@kuh.fi.
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ilves
authors.forename: Ilkka T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Harvima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D053818:Chymases / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D053818:Chymases