Serum interleukin 17, interleukin 23, and interleukin 10 values in children with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS): association with clinical severity and phenotype

• Published in: Allergy and asthma proceedings Vol. 36; no. 1; p. 74
• Main Authors: Leonardi, Salvatore, Cuppari, Caterina, Manti, Sara, Filippelli, Martina, Parisi, Giuseppe Fabio, Borgia, Francesco, Briuglia, Silvana, Cannavò, Patrizia, Salpietro, Annamaria, Arrigo, Teresa, Salpietro, Carmelo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2015
• Subjects: Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; Dermatitis, Atopic - blood; Dermatitis, Atopic - diagnosis; Dermatitis, Atopic - immunology; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin E - blood; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; Interleukin-10 - blood; Interleukin-17 - blood; Interleukin-23 - blood; Male; Phenotype; Severity of Illness Index; Syndrome
• ISSN: 1539-6304
• DOI: 10.2500/aap.2015.36.3808

To date cytokines profile in AEDS is poorly described in children. We evaluated the interleukin (IL)-17, IL-23, and IL-10 levels in atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) children and healthy controls, in atopic AEDS (aAEDS) and nonatopic (naAEDS) subtypes and their relationship with disease severity. A total of 181 children with aAEDS and 93 healthy children were evaluated. According to the skin-prick test (SPT) for allergens and serum total IgE, all patients were subdivided in two groups: 104 aAEDS and 77 naAEDS. In all patients, serum IL-17, IL-23, and IL-10 levels were detected. Serum IL-17 and IL-23 levels were significantly higher, and serum IL-10 levels were significantly lower in AEDS children than healthy group (p < 0.001). Moreover, serum IL-17 and IL-23 levels were significantly higher in aAEDS than in naAEDS subtypes (p < 0.001). Differently, serum IL-10 levels resulted similar in both subtypes. There was a correlation between Score Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index and both IL-17 and IL-23 and an inverse correlation between SCORAD index and IL-10 in aAEDS and naAEDS types. Serum IL-17 and IL-23 values were positively related to total IgE levels (p < 0.0001) in aAEDS. Further increase of IL-17 and IL-23 levels was detected in aAEDS subjects with atopic diseases such as asthma and rhinitis than children with only allergic sensitization. Our study confirms the role of IL-17, IL-23, and IL-10 and their relationship with the severity of AEDS. We firstly found a correlation between high IL-17/IL-23 axis levels and different phenotypes of AEDS in children, suggesting its role as marker of "atopic march" and disease severity.