A. D'Agata

Chronic Idiopathic and Chronic Autoimmune Urticaria: Clinical and Immunopathological Features of 68 Subjects

Skin tests with autologous serum elicit an immediate wheal-and-flare response in about 30-50% of chronic idiopathic urticaria subjects, suggesting that an autoimmune mechanism might be involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. The aim of the present work, involving 68 subjects with chronic idiopathic urticaria, was to distinguish between the serum-positive and serum-negative cases and highlight the clinical differences between the two groups on the basis of the Breneman scale score. We also tried to correlate the finding of a positive response to the autologous serum skin test with other autoimmune diatheses or fully developed autoimmune disorders. Our results did not demonstrate any significant differences between the two groups with regard to mean age, sex distribution, angioedema and mucosal/cutaneous atopy. However, all subjects with positive autologous serum skin test presented more severe clinical features than serum-negative subjects. We found no differences between the two groups in the incidence of autoimmune disease.

Infiltrating cells, related cytokines and chemokine receptors in lesional skin of patients with dermatomyositis

Background  There have been only two reports on immunophenotypic characterization in the cutaneous lesions of dermatomyositis (DM) that emphasize the importance of the infiltrating CD4+ T lymphocytes.

Infiltrating cells and related cytokines in lesional skin of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria and positive autologous serum skin test

Abstract:  In approximately one‐third of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), autoantibodies against the high‐affinity IgE receptor and/or against IgE can be detected and a wheal‐and‐flare response can be provoked by the intradermal injection of autologous serum (ASST). In this study we aimed to further characterize the inflammatory response observed in the subgroup of CIU patients with positive ASST and serum‐evoked histamine‐release in vitro from basophils in comparison with unaffected skin and healthy donors. An immunohistochemical analysis of infiltrating cells (CD4, MPO, EG1, EG2, tryptase), cytokines (IL‐4, IL‐5, IFN‐γ), chemokines and chemokine receptors (IL‐8, CCR3, CXCR3), and adhesion molecules (ICAM‐1, VCAM‐1, ELAM‐1) was performed on seven selected patients (four males and three females; median age: 45 years; range: 22–57) and five healthy donors. Cytokine evaluation was also performed in five psoriatic patients to obtain an additional control.

The comparative effects of tacrolimus and hydrocortisone in adult atopic dermatitis: an immunohistochemical study

Background  While many studies have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus ointment in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), only a few have investigated the effects of tacrolimus on inflammatory cells and their cytokine gene expression in patients with AD.

SERUM EOSINOPHIL CATIONIC PROTEIN (ecp) IN BULLOUS PEMPHIGOID

Background. The importance of eosinophils in the pathogenesis of the major forms of pemphigoid (bullous pemphigoid, cicatricial pemphigoid, herpes gestationis) remains to be confirmed.

Serum Eosinophil Cationic Protein, Myeloperoxidase, Tryptase, Eotaxin and Th2-Like Cytokines in Dermatitis herpetiformis

Background: Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a subepidermal bullous disease characterized by a neutrophilic and eosinophilic infiltrate, together with activated lymphocytes that show preferential polarization towards the Th2-like phenotype. To date, the role of neither soluble mediators, such as cytokines, nor serum levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and tryptase (TRY) have been studied in the peripheral blood of DH. In this study we investigated 40 DH subjects for possible alterations in MPO, ECP, TRY, eotaxin, interleukin (IL) 4 and IL-5 concentrations to evaluate the role of neutrophils, eosinophils and mast cells in the induction of skin lesions. Sera from 20 healthy subjects were tested as controls. Methods: Eotaxin, IL-4 and IL-5 serum contents were determined by a solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A double antibody radioimmunoassay was used to measure serum levels of MPO, ECP and TRY. Results: Normal levels of eotaxin and IL-4 were found in all DH subjects; increased IL-5 levels were found only in 1 subject. The MPO levels were significantly higher in DH subjects than in healthy controls (p < 0.01). There was also a significant difference between the serum ECP levels of DH and healthy controls (p < 0.05). TRY was not revealed in the serum of DH subjects. Conclusions: The determination of Th2-like cytokines and TRY serum levels is not important in quantifying the involvement of activated lymphocytes and mast cells in DH; however, the finding of high MPO and ECP serum levels seems to confirm that these products are good markers of the presence of activated neutrophils and eosinophils.