IL-13 PRODUCTION BY PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS FROM PATIENTS WITH ATOPIC-DERMATITIS

Background: Interleukin 13 (IL-13) shares several functional propertie s with IL-4 and has been shown to be capable of inducing IEE synthesis , Objective: To determine whether the production of IL-13 by periphera l blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) is connected with the development of AD, Methods: We examined PBM C from 52 patients with AD and 23 healthy volunteers as controls. PBMC were cultured with or without antigen extracted either from Dermatoph agoides farinae or house dust for 48 h, and then the supernatants were measured for IL-13 by competitive enzyme immunoassay, We also examine d the effect of the immunosuppressant FK506 on the production of IL-13 by antigen-stimulated PBMC from AD patients, Results: The levels of I L-13 produced by non-stimulated PBMC in AD were significantly higher t han those in controls. The IL-13 levels in AD were increased after ant igen stimulation and were higher than those in controls. Moreover, the enhanced production of IL-13 in AD was suppressed by FK506. Conclusio n: We suggest that IL-13 may play some role in the development of AD.