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Objective To measure the expression of interleukin-13 (IL-13) and its receptors in mycosis fungoides (MF) lesions,and to investigate their clinical significance.Methods A total of 34 paraffin-embedded specimens of MF,which was confirmed by clinical and histopathological features,immunophenotyping and/or T-cell receptor gene rearrangements,were collected from Hangzhou Third People's Hospital between January 2010 and March 2016.According to the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system,5 patients were at stage I A,9 at stage Ⅰ B,17 at stage Ⅱ A,and 3 at stage Ⅱ B.Ten normal skin tissue specimens served as controls.Immunohistochemical study was conducted to measure the expression of IL-13,IL-13Rα1 and IL-13Rα2.Results IL-13,IL-13Rα1 and IL-13Rα2 were all expressed in atypical lymphoid cells and epidermotropic lymphoid cells in MF lesions at various stages.IL-13Rα2 was highly expressed in all the MF lesions.None of IL-13 and its receptors were expressed in normal skin tissues and lymphocytes.The expression rates of IL-13 and its receptors in MF lesions increased along with the progression of MF.Additionally,the expression rates of IL-13 (10.00% ± 3.14%),IL-13Rα1 (21.43% ± 6.88%) and IL-13Ro2 (31.14% ± 6.38%) significantly decreased in MF lesions at stage Ⅰ compared with those at stage Ⅱ (27.50% ± 11.00%,39.45% ± 9.43%,44.40% ± 11.15%,respectively,all P < 0.05),but no significant differences were observed between stage Ⅰ A and Ⅰ B,or between stage Ⅱ A and Ⅱ B (P > 0.05).Conclusion IL-13 and its receptors,especially IL-13Rα2,may be expected to serve as biomarkers for early diagnosis of MF and prediction of its biological behaviors.
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Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) is characterized by varying degrees of interstitial fibrosis. IL-13 and IL-4 are strong inducers of tissue fibrosis, whereas IFN-gamma has antifibrotic potential. However, the roles of these substances in IIP remain unknown. IL-13, IL-4, and IFN-gamma were measured in the BAL fluid of 16 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients, 10 nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) patients, and 8 normal controls. The expression of IL-13 and IL-13Ralpha1/alpha2 in lung tissues was analyzed using ELISA and immunohistochemistry. IL-13 levels were significantly higher in IPF patients than the others (P<0.05). IL-4 levels were higher in both IPF and NSIP patients than in normal controls (P<0.05), and IFN-gamma levels were lower in NSIP patients than in normal controls (P=0.047). IL-13 levels correlated inversely with FVC% (r=-0.47, P=0.043) and DLCO% (r=-0.58, P=0.014) in IPF and NSIP patients. IL-13 was strongly expressed in the smooth muscle, bronchial epithelium, alveolar macrophages and endothelium of IPF patients. IL-13Ralpha1, rather than IL-13Ralpha2, was strongly expressed in the smooth muscle, bronchial epithelium, and endothelium of IPF patients. IL-13 and its receptors may contribute to the pathogenesis of fibrosis in IIP and appear to be related to the severity of the disease.