| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,900,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥1,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥2,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,500,000)
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| Research Abstract |
We analyzed the chemical mediators and cytokines in the lesional scales of atopic dermatitis.
1. Determination of histamine-contents in scales of atopic dermatitis
The mean histamine content of atopic dermatitis lesional scales was 1.16 ± 0.85 ng/mg scale, and this was significantly higher than that from sole of healthy individuals (0.16 ± 0.05 ng/mg scale : p < 0.01)
2. Determination of cytokine-contents in scales of atopic dermatitis
(1) Interleukin - (IL-) 6 family cytokines
Amount of IL-6, IL-11, oncostatin M, leukemia inhibitory factor were 8.1 ± 2.5 pg/mg scale, 0.36 ± 7.1 pg/mg scale and 16.6 ± 4.8 pg/mg scale, 0.02 ± 0.04 pg/mg scale, respectively, in the scales obtained from 12 patients with atopic dermatitis, and the amount of IL-6 were correlated with that of histamine in the scales of atopic dermatitis patients. Concentrations of these cytokines were under detection limits in the scale extracts from the non-inflammatory skin.
(2) C-C Chemokine, RANTES and eotaxin
RANTES and eotaxi
… More
n RANTES and eotaxin were detected in the lesional scales from the patients with atopic dermatitis studied (mean value of RANTES ; 12.8 ± 17.8 pg/mg scale, mean value of eotaxin ; 0.30 ± 0.32 pg/mg scale). Concentrations of RANTES and eotaxin were under detection limits in the scale extracts from the non-inflammatory skin. There was significant correlation between eotaxin content and blood eosinophil count in atopic dermatitis patients, whereas not in the case with RANTES content.
3. RANTES promotor gene polymorphism -401G/A is associated with aspic dermatitis
We investigated the polymorphism in Japanese atopic dermatitis subjects and found that the association of -401A allele with atopic dermatitis. The genotype AA, AG and GG were found in 10, 33, and 22 atopic dermatitis patients, and 9, 37, and 47 healthy controls, respectively. The frequency of -401A allele was 0.407 in 65 Japanese with atopic dermatitis and was significantly higher than that of 93 control subjects (0.295). We found more RANTES protein in the scales obtained from the patients having -401A allele than the patients with -401G allele. Although the -401G/A genotype did not influence the examination data, such as total as well as antigen-specific IgE levels and blood eosinophil count, the genotype -401A might susceptibility to atopic dermatitis by producing more RANTES in skin.
4. The IL-6 family cytokines enhance mast cell growth through fibroblast-dependent pathway
When the effect of four IL-6 family cytokines, IL-6, IL-11, oncostatin M and leukemia inhibitory factor, were examined on mast cell growth in a mast call/fibroblast co-culture system, these cytokines induced proliferation of the mast cells. mRNA for gp130 and receptors for the four members of IL-6 family cytokines were detected not in mast cells but in NIH/3T3 fibroblasts by reverse transcriptase-mediated polymerase chain reaction. IL-6 family cytokines may thus contribute to mast cell hyperplasia in skin disease through the mast cell-fibroblast interaction. Less
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