Increased circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and imbalanced regulatory T-cell cytokines production in chronic idiopathic urticaria

• Published in: International immunopharmacology 2008-10, Vol.8 (10), p.1433-1440
• Main Authors: dos Santos, Juliana Cristina, Azor, Mayce Helena, Nojima, Viviane Yoshimi, Lourenço, Francinelson Duarte, Prearo, Erica, Maruta, Celina Wakisaka, Rivitti, Evandro Ararigbóia, da Silva Duarte, Alberto José, Sato, Maria Notomi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Allergic diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Chronic idiopathic urticaria; Cytokines - classification; Cytokines - genetics; Cytokines - metabolism; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Immunopathology; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - drug effects; Lymphoproliferation; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mitogens - toxicity; mRNA; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pro-inflammatory cytokines; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Skin allergic diseases. Stinging insect allergies; T-cell cytokines; Urticaria - blood; Urticaria - metabolism
• ISSN: 1567-5769; 1878-1705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2008.05.016

The immunologic characterization of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), mainly regarding cytokine profile needs more investigation. We examined circulating inflammatory cytokine levels, T-cell induced secretion, and cytokine mRNA expression in patients with CIU subjected to the intradermal autologous serum skin test (ASST). Increased levels of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-12p70, and IL-6 have been observed in most of patients with CIU, together with an enhancement of IL-2 secretion following T-cell stimulation. Highlighting the inflammatory profile in CIU found in ASST positive, is the enhanced B-cell proliferative responsiveness and increased IL-17 secretion levels. ASST-positive patients also exhibited impaired IL-4 secretion associated with increased IL-10 production. Altered cytokine expression in patients with ASST-negative, was the down-modulation of spontaneous IL-10 mRNA expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our findings support the concept of immunologic dysregulation in CIU, revealing a systemic inflammatory profile associated with disturbed cytokine production by T cells, mainly related to IL-17 and IL-10 production.