Role of Cytokines in the Pathogenesis of Acne

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Olga M. Dеmina, PhD¹*; Anatoly V. Kartelishev, PhD, ScD²; Elena I. Karpova, PhD, ScD¹; Olga I. Danischuk¹

¹N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, ²Dmitry Rogachev National Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology; Moscow, the Russian Federation

*Corresponding author:  Olga M. Demina, PhD; N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University. Moscow, Russia. E-mail: demina.75@mail.ru

Published: March 17, 2017.  doi: 10.21103/Article7(1)_OA3

Abstract: 

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of cytokines in light of recently discovered aspects of acne immunopathogenesis.
Materials and Methods: The study included 276 patients aged between 16 to 44 years with various forms of acne vulgaris. Severe manifestations of the disease were identified in 126/45.6% patients; disease lasted 1 to 5 years in 157/56.9% patients. The serum levels of cytokines were determined by ELISA using standard kits. The cells were characterized using flow cytometry.
Results: The obtained data on an excessive secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-2) and VEGF on the background of decreasing the content of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10) indicate an insufficient activity of anti-inflammatory immune response. It was concluded that acne is a model of chronic immunodeficiency inflammatory dermatoses with the activation of innate immunity and the subsequent development of the adaptive T-cell immune response.

Keywords: 
acne vulgaris ● cytokines ● innate immunity ● secondary immunodeficiency
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International Journal of Biomedicine. 2017;7(1):37-40. © 2017 International Medical Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved.