In vivo expression of cytokine receptor mRNA in atopic dermatitis

J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1998 Aug;102(2):245-50. doi: 10.1016/s0091-6749(98)70093-4.

Abstract

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with immunopathologic features that vary depending on the duration of the lesion. Acute lesions are associated with a T-cell infiltrate and a high expression of IL-4 mRNA compared with chronic lesions, uninvolved AD skin, or skin from normal control subjects. Chronic lesions are rich in eosinophils and monocyte/macrophages and contain a greater number of IL-5, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and IL-12 (p40) mRNA-positive cells.

Objectives: In this study, we investigated the mRNA expression of the IL-4 receptor (IL-4Ralpha), IL-5Ralpha, GM-CSFRalpha, and IL-12Rbeta2 in biopsy specimens from acute and chronic AD lesions, uninvolved AD skin, normal skin, and psoriatic skin lesions.

Methods: Cytokine receptor mRNA was examined in paraformaldehyde-fixed biopsy specimens with in situ hybridization with specific antisense riboprobes.

Results: Acute and chronic skin lesions exhibited a significant increase in numbers of IL-5Rbeta and GM-CSFRalpha mRNA-positive cells compared with uninvolved AD skin and normal skin (P < .001). Chronic skin lesions had a significantly greater number of IL-5Ralpha and GM-CSFRalpha mRNA-positive cells when compared with acute AD skin (P < .001). In contrast, IL-4Ralpha mRNA expression was increased in acute but not chronic AD lesions compared with uninvolved and normal skin (P < .001). No significant differences were observed in numbers of IL-12Rbeta2 mRNA-positive cells when comparing acute AD, chronic AD, uninvolved AD, and normal skin. In psoriatic skin, the numbers of GM-CSFRalpha and IL-12Rbeta2 mRNA-positive cells were significantly increased compared with acute AD lesions, uninvolved skin, and normal control skin (P < .01).

Conclusions: These results demonstrate that acute AD is associated with a high expression of IL-4Ralpha, whereas IL-5Ralpha and GM-CSFRalpha mRNA are predominantly increased in chronic AD and to lesser extent in acute lesions. These findings support the biphasic role of IL-4, IL-5, and GM-CSF in the pathophysiology of AD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / genetics
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / immunology*
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / pathology
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Cytokine / biosynthesis
  • Receptors, Cytokine / genetics*
  • Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / genetics
  • Receptors, Interleukin / genetics
  • Receptors, Interleukin-12
  • Receptors, Interleukin-4 / genetics
  • Receptors, Interleukin-5

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Cytokine
  • Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Receptors, Interleukin
  • Receptors, Interleukin-12
  • Receptors, Interleukin-4
  • Receptors, Interleukin-5