TRANSIENT ACANTHOLYTIC DERMATOSIS INDUCED BY RECOMBINANT HUMAN INTERLEUKIN-4

Background: Interleukin 4 is one of many cytokines under investigation about its possible role in the pathogenesis and treatment of disease. Transient acantholytic dermatosis is of uncertain origin. It has not previously been linked to drug ingestion and is generally not believed to have an immunologic basis. Objective: Our purpose was to describe the clinical characteristics and histologic features of a cutaneous er uption caused by interleukin 4. Methods: Three patients in whom an eru ption developed after they received intravenous recombinant human inte rleukin 4 were examined and biopsy specimens were evaluated. Results: These patients had a pruritic papulovesicular eruption that was consis tent, both clinically and histologically, with transient acantholytic dermatosis. None of the other conditions believed to precipitate trans ient acantholytic dermatosis was present in our patients. Conclusion: This is the first report of a cutaneous side effect of interleukin 4. This may be antibody-mediated or related to increased production of ti ssue-type plasminogen activator.