THE ROLE OF CYTOKINES IN THE GENERATION OF SKIN-LESIONS IN DERMATITIS-HERPETIFORMIS

The infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) into the upper dermis which characterizes the skin lesions of dermatitis herpetiform is (DH) has never been satisfactorily explained. This study has shown that lesional skin of patients with DH has increased expression of end othelial leucocyte adhesion molecules (ELAM) in the deep dermis, combi ned with a markedly increased staining for interleukin 8 (IL-8) in the basal epidermal layer. Dendritic cells which stained for granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were also observed at th e dermo-epidermal junction, and this phenomenon was more pronounced in lesional than in uninvolved DH skin. ELAM, IL-8 and GM-CSF are known to promote infiltration and activation of PMN, and it is suggested tha t these cytokines may play a key role in the generation of DH lesions.