Grieco Teresa, Porzia Alessandra, Paolino Giovanni, Chello Camilla, Sernicola Alvise, Faina Valentina, Carnicelli Giorgia, Moliterni Elisa, Mainiero Fabrizio
Dermatologic Clinic, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Experimental Medicine Department, La Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Int J Dermatol. 2020 May;59(5):590-594. doi: 10.1111/ijd.14812. Epub 2020 Feb 12.
Recent studies highlight that high levels of cytokines may precede the onset of many systemic autoimmune disorders and may also be related to chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) activity.
Eight patients with CSU candidate to omalizumab therapy were enrolled. Four healthy controls were included with the purpose of comparing baseline cytokine levels. We evaluated serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, TNF-α, and GM-CSF. For the patient group, venous blood samples were drawn at T0, T1 (1 week after first drug administration), T2 (after 3 months), T3 (after 6 months), and in case of relapse. Cytokine levels were measured using the human cytokines 8-plex kit. Disease activity and effect of therapy were calculated by means of Urticaria Activity Score 7.
Higher levels of IL-6 and IFN-γ were found in patients with CSU compared to those observed in the control group. Moreover, a common trend between these cytokines and the clinical history of disease could be hypothesized, with a decrease in levels of IFN-γ and IL-6 following remission of CSU with omalizumab treatment. Levels of other tested cytokines were similar between patients and healthy subjects.
IFN-γ and IL-6 are proinflammatory cytokines that are strongly related to autoimmunity. Despite being limited by the small sample size, our data offer new insight into a better understanding of the pathogenesis of CSU and support the need for further investigations.
近期研究表明，高水平的细胞因子可能先于许多系统性自身免疫性疾病的发作，也可能与慢性自发性荨麻疹（CSU）的活动有关。
招募了8名接受奥马珠单抗治疗的CSU患者。纳入4名健康对照者以比较基线细胞因子水平。我们评估了血清中IFN-γ、IL-2、4、6、8和10、TNF-α以及GM-CSF的水平。对于患者组，在T0、T1（首次给药后1周）、T2（3个月后）、T3（6个月后）以及复发时采集静脉血样本。使用人细胞因子8联检试剂盒测量细胞因子水平。通过荨麻疹活动评分7计算疾病活动度和治疗效果。
与对照组相比，CSU患者中IL-6和IFN-γ水平更高。此外，可以推测这些细胞因子与疾病临床病史之间存在共同趋势，即奥马珠单抗治疗使CSU缓解后，IFN-γ和IL-6水平下降。患者和健康受试者之间其他检测细胞因子的水平相似。
IFN-γ和IL-6是与自身免疫密切相关的促炎细胞因子。尽管受样本量小的限制，我们的数据为更好地理解CSU的发病机制提供了新的见解，并支持进一步研究的必要性。
