IL-10 LEVELS ARE DECREASED IN PSORIATIC LESIONAL SKIN AS COMPARED TO THE PSORIATIC LESION-FREE AND NORMAL SKIN SUCTION BLISTER FLUIDS

IL-10 is a cytokine produced by B and T-cells, monocytes and keratinoc ytes with pleiotropic effects, some of which ave directed towards supp ressing monocyte activities (antiinflammatory cytokine). No informatio n at the protein level is available concerning IL-10 in suction bliste r fluids from psoriatic skin, even if contrasting data have been repor ted on IL-10 mRNA of psoriatic biopsies and on the cytokine patterns o f the T-cell clones, isolated from psoriatic skin. The IL-10 blister f luid concentrations in psoriatic lesions were compared to those found in the nonlesional skin of 14 patients effected with plaque-type psori asis, and to those found in the skin of healthy controls (9 subjects s haring sex ratio and age with psoriatic patients). No difference in th e IL-10 levels was found between non-lesional and control skin. In con trast, lower IL-10 levels were observed in blister fluids obtained fro m lesional psoriatic skin (p < 0.0005). The possible meanings of these results have been evaluated in the context of the mechanisms activati ng or maintaining the chronic inflammatory components of psoriasis.