Anti-intercellular substance antibody log titres are correlated with serumconcentrations of interleukin-6, interleukin-15 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with Pemphigus vulgaris relationships with peripheral blood neutrophil counts, disease severity and duration and patients' age

Pemphigus vulgaris is a rare dermatosis of autoimmune origin, characterized by autoantibodies directed against intercellular substance (AICS) and pres enting with intra-epidermal blisters and/or erosions of the skin and mucous membranes. The aim of this paper is to analyze the relationships between s erum AICS titers (after log transformation) and: patients' age, disease dur ation and disease activity; serum cytokine (IL-6, IL-7, IL-15 and TNF-alpha ) concentrations and peripheral blood cell counts (namely neutrophils, lymp hocytes and natural killer cells). Fifteen consecutive subjects affected wi th PV were enrolled. Diagnosis was supported by histological examination as well as by direct and indirect immunofluorescence tests. Cytokine determin ations were made by means of commercially available ELISA kits. This study shows for the first time that AICS titers have a significant correlation wi th age of PV patients (R=0.57, p=0.031) and with the disease duration (R=0. 73, p=0.002), A correlation between blood neutrophils count and log (AICS) titres was observed (R= 0.6, p=0.021). Furthermore, significant correlation s were observed between log (AICS) titres and serum IL-15 (R=0.54, p=0.048) , serum IL-6 (R=0.53, p=0.05) or serum TNF-alpha concentrations (R=0.53, p= 0.05). These data, taken togheter, show that there are several connections between the log (AICS) titres, some proinflammatory cytokines, peripheral b lood neutrophil counts and the numbers of individuals' lesions, suggesting a relationship between AICS production and lesion development.