Premium
Characterization of the inflammatory infiltrate and cytokine expression in the skin of horses with recurrent urticaria
Author(s) -
Hinden Sandro,
KlukowskaRötzler Jolanta,
Janda Jozef,
Marti Eliane I.,
Gerber Vinzenz,
Roosje Petra J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
veterinary dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.744
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1365-3164
pISSN - 0959-4493
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3164.2012.01117.x
Subject(s) - thymic stromal lymphopoietin , medicine , tryptase , cytokine , cd3 , immunohistochemistry , interleukin , skin biopsy , pathology , immunology , immune system , mast cell , biopsy , cd8
Background – Recurrent urticaria (RU) is a common skin disease of horses, but little is known about its pathogenesis. Hypothesis/Objective – The aim of this study was to characterize the inflammatory cell infiltrate and cytokine expression pattern in the skin of horses with RU. Animals – Biopsies of lesional and nonlesional skin of horses with RU ( n = 8) and of skin from healthy control horses ( n = 8) were evaluated. Methods – The inflammatory cell infiltrate was analysed by routine histology. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify T cells (CD3), B cells (CD79), macrophages (MAC387) and mast cells (tryptase). Expression of T‐helper 2 cytokines (interleukins IL‐4 , IL‐5 and IL‐13 ), a T‐helper 1 cytokine (interferon‐γ), IL‐4 receptor α and thymic stromal lymphopoietin was assessed by quantitative RT‐PCR. Results – In subepidermal lesional skin of RU‐affected horses, increased numbers of eosinophils ( P ≤ 0.01), CD79‐positive ( P ≤ 0.01), MAC387‐positive ( P ≤ 0.01) and tryptase‐positive cells ( P ≤ 0.05) were found compared with healthy horses. Subepidermal lesional skin of RU‐affected horses contained more eosinophils ( P ≤ 0.05) and tryptase‐positive cells ( P ≤ 0.05) compared with nonlesional skin. There was no significant difference in infiltrating cells between nonlesional skin and skin of healthy horses. Expression of IL‐4 ( P ≤ 0.01), IL‐13 ( P ≤ 0.05), thymic stromal lymphopoietin ( P ≤ 0.05) and IL‐4 receptor α ( P ≤ 0.05) was increased in lesional skin of RU‐affected horses compared with control horses. Expression of IL‐4 was higher ( P ≤ 0.05) in lesional compared with nonlesional RU skin. Conclusions and clinical importance – Analysis of cytokine expression and inflammatory infiltrate suggests that T‐helper 2 cytokines, eosinophils, mast cells and presumptive macrophages play a role in the pathogenesis of equine RU.