CYTOKINES IN THE CONJUNCTIVA OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC MUCOUS-MEMBRANE PEMPHIGOID - AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of certain so luble factors in conjunctival scar tissue formation of pemphigoid pati ents. Epibulbar conjunctival biopsy specimens were taken from patients with acute ulcerative (n = 4), subacute (n = 8) and chronic (n = 8) m ucous membrane pemphigoid and from twelve age-matched healthy individu als. The tissues were embedded in glycol methacrylate and analysed by immunohistochemical methods. Interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma, t ransforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), platelet-derived growth fac tor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), tumour necrosis fac tor-alpha and proliferating cells (as identified with the antibody Ki- 67) were found in both pemphigoid patients and normal controls. Interl eukin-4 was not found with this method in either normal or diseased co njunctiva. Significant differences between normal and diseased conjunc tiva were found for TGF-beta and for proliferating cells, which were b oth increased in the acute disease group. More intense staining was fo und in the subacute disease group for IL-2, bFGF and PDGF. Our finding s showed that a variety of cytokines were present in normal and diseas ed bulbar conjunctiva. Acute conjunctival disease in mucous membrane p emphigoid may indicate active scar tissue formation, implied by an inc rease in TGF-beta and the presence of proliferating fibroblasts.