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Demonstration of interleukin-2, interleukin-4 and interleukin-6 in sera from patients with localized scleroderma

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Abstract

Localized scleroderma has been reported to be accompanied by immunological abnormalities related to B cells, but little is known about T-cell activation in this disease. In this study, serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which are known to be released by activated T cells, were determined using a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 48 patients with localized scleroderma and 20 with systemic sclerosis, and in 20 healthy control subjects. IL-2, IL-4 and IL-6 were detected in serum from patients with localized scleroderma but not in that from healthy controls. The presence of antihistone antibodies correlated significantly with elevated IL-4 and IL-6 levels. Decreased serum levels of IL-2, IL-4 and IL-6 paralleled improvement in cutaneous sclerosis. Frequent detection of these lymphokines in serum from patients with localized scleroderma reflects T-cell activation in this disorder.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan

    H. Ihn, S. Sato, M. Fujimoto, K. Kikuchi & K. Takehara

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  1. H. Ihn
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  2. S. Sato
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  3. M. Fujimoto
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  4. K. Kikuchi
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  5. K. Takehara
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Ihn, H., Sato, S., Fujimoto, M. et al. Demonstration of interleukin-2, interleukin-4 and interleukin-6 in sera from patients with localized scleroderma. Arch Dermatol Res 287, 193–197 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01262331

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01262331

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