›› 2010, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (4): 419-.

• Original article (Basic research) • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Expression of Th17 cell associated cytokines in pemphigus vulgaris lesions

SU Wen-ting1, WANG Hong-lin2, |FEI Ye1, WANG Bei-qing1, XU Hui1, CHEN Xiang-dong1   

  1. 1. Department of Dermatology, The Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China；2. Shanghai Institute of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200025, China
  • Online:2010-04-25 Published:2010-04-26

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Abstract:

Objective To investigate the role of Th17 cell associated cytokines of IL-23 and IL-17 in the pathogenesis of pemphigus vulgaris. Methods Immunofluorescence staining was performed to analyse the distribution of CD163+ macrophages and expression of IL-23 and IL-17 in pemphigus vulgaris lesions and healthy human skin tissues. Results The staining of IL-23+cells is overlapped with that of CD163+ macrophages. The mean numbers of IL23+CD163+ cells and IL-17+ cells were 80.17±5.42 and 48.17±8.03 in each field of view (×200) in dermis of pemphigus vulgaris, while those in healthy human dermis were 29.50±4.45 and 9.50±3.35, with significant differences between dermis of pemphigus vulgaris and healthy human dermis (P<0.01). The number of IL23+ cells was related to that of IL-17+ cells in dermis (r=0.945, P<0.001). Conclusion IL-23 is mainly secreted by CD163+ macrophages. IL-23 and IL-17 are overexpressed in pemphigus vulgaris lesions. IL-23/IL-17 cytokine axis may play an important role in the pathogenesis of pemphigus vulgaris.

Key words: pemphigus vulgaris, macrophages, Th17 cell, IL-23, IL-17