CELLULAR IMMUNOREGULATION IN ATOPIC DERMATITIS : Hyperreponsiveness to Interleukin-4 and Hyporesponsiveness to Interleukin-2

Abstract

We examined the responsiveness to Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and Interleukin-2 (IL-2) of peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and non-AD controls. The IL-4 responsiveness of the AD patients was found to be higher than that of the non-AD controls. In contrast, the IL-2 responsivenes of the AD patients was relatively lower than that of the non-AD controls. When IL-4/IL-2 responsiveness ratio was compared, the IL-4/IL-2 responsiveness ratio of the AD patients (54.1±18.5) was significantly higher than that of the non-AD controls (24.8±9.9, p<0.001). The high IL-4/IL-2 responsiveness ratio found in the AD patients may possibily be related to the pathogenesis of AD.