Role of Th2 cytokines, RANTES and eotaxin in AIDS-associated eosinophilic folliculitis

The pathogenesis of AIDS-associated eosinophilic folliculitis is still unkn own, The expression of chemokines and Th2-type cytokines is increased in ot her conditions associated with tissue eosinophilia and in allergic reaction s. We evaluated the mRNA expression by reverse transcriptase polymerase cha in reaction of two Th2 cytokines (interleukin-4 and interleukin-5) and of t wo chemokines (RANTES and eotaxin) in the skin of 6 patients with. AIDS-ass ociated eosinophilic folliculitis; the tissue localization of eotaxin was s hown by immunohistochemistry. We demonstrated the increased expression of i nterleukin-4, interleukin-5, RANTES and eotaxin in lesional skin of the pat ients compared to normal skin of HIV+ individuals. We concluded that a Th2 pattern is present in AIDS-associated eosinophilic folliculitis, The cytoki ne milieu in this disease may favour a Th2 immune response to an unknown an tigen, whereby RANTES and eotaxin act in synergy with interleukin-4 and int erleukin-5 to mediate tissue inflammation.