A study on the T lymphocyte subsets, plasma neopterin and serum lgE in patients with atopic dermatitis

Suh, Seon Kyo; Kim, Moon kyu; Kim, So Won; Jun, Jae Bok; Chung, Sang Lip

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Many physiologic, pharmacologic and immunologic abnormalities were reported in atopic dermatitis but the cause and pathogenesis of the disease remain obscure.
OBJECTIVE
This study was done to investigate the systemic immunologic abnormalities in atopic dermatitis. METHOD: To evaluate the cell mediated immunity, me quantified pei ipheral blood T lymphocytes and their subsets, using flow cytometery, and assessed plasma neopteiin levels by means of radioimmunoassay. To evaluate the abnormal humoral immunity, we assessed the serum IgE levels by means of enzyme-immunoassay.
RESULTS
Mean proportions of peripheral blood T lymphocytes and, heir subsets in atopic Dermatitis patients were within normal limits. Hut the suppvessor/cytotoxic T lyrphocytes(T8) were significantly decreased in the group of se"ere atopic dermatitis compared with the group of mild atopic dermatitis(P<0.05). Plasma neopterin lervels in the group of atopic dermatitis were found to be significantly elevated as compared vith the control group(P<0.01), but no significant cifference was found between the mild and severe group of atcpic dermatitis(P>0.05). Mean serum IgE levels in the patients with atopic dermatitis were higher than reference value. But there was no significant difference between the mild and severe atopic dermatitis group. Serum IgE levels ivere negatiiely correlated with T8(r=-0.3774, P<0.05) and positively with T4/T8 ratio(r =0.5007, P<0.05).
Conclusions
: These data;uggest that the atopic der matitis has abr ormalities in cell mediated immunity as well as elevated IgE level.