ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The majority of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from atopic eczema skin produce toxins like enterotoxin B or toxic shock syndrome toxin-1(TSST-1) as a superantigen and these toxins may contribute to the exacerbation of this skin disease. OBJECTIVE: We designed this study in order to investigate the effect of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 on IL-4, interleukin-10(IL-10), interleukin-12(IL-12) and IFN- r production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from normal and atopic patients. METHODS: Peripheral mononuclear cells obtained from ten patients with severe atopic dermatitis and ten healthy volunteers were stimulated with TSST-1 and cultured for 4 days. The amount of IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and IFN- r in the culture supernatants were determined by a solid-phase enzyme- linked immunosorbant assay. RESULTS: l. After stimulation with TSST-1, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and INF- r, production of peripheral mononuclear cells from both atopic patients and healthy volunteers were increased. 2. After stimulation with TSST-1, the amount of IFN- r in the culture supernatants was significantly greater in the healthy controls than in the atopic patients. 3. After stimulation with TSST-1, the amount of IL-10 in the culture supernatants was significantly greater in the healthy controls than in the atopic patients. CONCLUSION: This data indicates that TSST-1 induces Thl-type and Th2-type cytokines associated with parallel Thl and Th2 stimulation in atopic patients and healthy donors. In addition, peripheral mononuclear cells from atopic patients have a diminished capacity to synthesize IFN- r and IL-10 in vitro in response to stimulation with TSST-1. Our results suggest that TSST-1 is not considered as a really important aggravating factor in atopic dermatitis.