The effect of conventional immunosuppressive therapy on cytokine serum levels in pemphigus vulgaris patients.

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune disease, in which the role of Th17 cytokines needs to be further explored. This study was performed to assess serum levels of three interleukins (IL) required for Th17 differentiation (IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-23) and two specific Th17 cytokines (IL-17 and IL-22) in a group of patients with pemphigus vulgaris, at baseline, 3 weeks and 6 months after treatment. Correlations between anti-desmogleins and cytokines with disease severity as well as the influence of therapy on the above factors were assessed. Forty-three first-admitted pemphigus vulgaris patients with the active disease entered the study, but only 31 completed the study. Forty-five healthy volunteers were recruited as a control group. The patients were treated with conventional immunosuppressive therapy (oral prednisolone and azathioprine). Cytokines and anti-desmogleins were measured, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. General linear model was used to evaluate the changes over time. In patients at baseline, mean serum level of IL-6 was higher, while mean levels of IL-1β and IL-22 were lower than the controls. After 3 weeks of therapy, IL-1β and IL-6 levels showed a decreasing trend, whereas IL-22 showed an increasing trend. Mean anti-desmogleins 1 and 3 values decreased significantly during the time. Anti-desmoglein values were significantly correlated with disease severity. In conclusion, IL-1β and IL-6 could be involved in the pathogenesis of pemphigus vulgaris. The positive trend of IL-22 is a new finding and should be confirmed by further studies.