title: Decreased interleukin-21 expression in skin and blood in advanced mycosis fungoides.
abstract: Interleukin (IL)-21 is regarded as a potent antitumor agent, which increases the cytotoxicity of both natural killer (NK) and CD8(+) T cells. In this study, we investigated the role of IL-21 in mycosis fungoides (MF). IL-21 mRNA expression levels in patch and plaque MF were significantly higher than those in normal skin. IL-21 mRNA expression levels in tumor MF were significantly decreased compared with those in patch and plaque MF. Interestingly, mRNA expression levels of IL-21 in MF lesional skin significantly correlated with those of T-helper type-1 cytokines/chemokines such as CXCL10, CXCL11 and γ-interferon. Immunohistochemistry showed that IL-21 was expressed by keratinocytes in patch and plaque MF. Furthermore, serum IL-21 levels in patients with tumor MF were significantly lower than those of healthy controls and plaque MF. Thus, IL-21 expression was significantly downregulated in skin and blood of patients with tumor MF, which may contribute to progression of MF. Our study suggests that recombinant IL-21 would be a promising therapy for MF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.|Department of Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Miyoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kabasawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.|Department of Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.|Department of Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiraku
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suga
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyagaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Sayaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yayoi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kadono
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okochi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000378:metabolism*; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D000098546:Interleukin-21
keywords: T-helper 1 cells; cutaneous T-cell lymphoma; interleukin-21; keratinocytes; mycosis fungoides