Increased coexpression of eotaxin and interleukin 5 in bullous pemphigoid

While the presence of eosinophils in the skin lesions of bullous pemphigoid is well documented, the chemotactic factors responsible for eosinophil rec ruitment into the tissue still remain to be defined. In this study, eotaxin and interleukin-5 (IL-5) concentrations were determined in the blister flu id and sera of patients with bullous pemphigoid (acute and remission phase, n=6) in comparison with normal healthy controls (n=6) using the enzyme-lin ked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Eotaxin and IL-5 levels were inc reased in the blister fluid compared with the acute and remission phase ser a, as well as compared with the sera of normal controls. In addition, immun oreactivity for eotaxin was predominantly found in the inflammatory cell in filtrate of lesional bullous pemphigoid biopsy specimens. In conclusion, th e data provide evidence that co-operation of eotaxin and IL-5 may play an e ssential role in activating and recruiting eosinophils, which ultimately co ntribute to the tissue damage in bullous pemphigoid.