Serum interleukin-8 level is a more sensitive marker than serum interleukin-6 level in monitoring the disease activity of oral lichen planus
Journal
British Journal of Dermatology
Journal Volume
152
Journal Issue
6
Pages
1187-1192
Date Issued
2005
Author(s)
Abstract
Background: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a T-cell-mediated inflammatory disease. Interleukin (IL)-8 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine of host response to injury and inflammation. Objectives: To investigate whether serum IL-8 level was a more sensitive marker than serum IL-6 level in monitoring the disease activity of OLP and to assess whether IL-8 was a useful serum marker in evaluating the therapeutic effects of levamisole on OLP patients. Methods: In this study, we used a solid phase, two-site sequential chemiluminescent immunometric assay to determine the baseline serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in 158 patients with OLP, nine patients with traumatic ulcers (TU) and 54 normal control subjects. Some OLP patients with the serum IL-6 or IL-8 levels higher than the upper limit of normal serum concentration were treated with levamisole for 0.5-6.0 months and their serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels were measured after treatment. Results: We found that 28% (44 of 158) OLP, 28% (40 of 142) erosive OLP (EOLP), and 25% (four of 16) nonerosive OLP (NEOLP) patients had a serum IL-6 level greater than the upper normal limit of 4.7 pg mL-1. In contrast, 63% (99 of 158) OLP, 63% (90 of 142) EOLP and 56% (nine of 16) NEOLP patients had a serum IL-8 level greater than the upper normal limit of 8.7 pg mL-1. In some OLP patients with the serum IL-6 or IL-8 levels higher than the upper limit of normal serum concentration, treatment with levamisole for a period of 0.5-6.0 months could significantly reduce the mean serum IL-6 level from 14.3 ± 1.9 pg mL-1 to 3.2 ± 0.6 pg mL -1 (P < 0.001) and could significantly reduce the mean serum IL-8 level from 95.8 ± 17.1 pg mL-1 to 14.8 ± 5.8 pg mL -1 (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Because measurement of the serum IL-8 level can detect more OLP patients with an abnormal serum level than measurement of the serum IL-6 level (63% vs. 28%), we conclude that serum IL-8 level is a more sensitive marker than serum IL-6 level in monitoring the disease activity of OLP. Levamisole can modulate both the serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels in OLP patients. IL-8, like IL-6, is also a useful serum marker in evaluating the therapeutic effects of levamisole on OLP patients. ? 2005 British Association of Dermatologists.
Subjects
Interleukin-6; Interleukin-8; Levamisole; Oral lichen planus
SDGs
Other Subjects
biological marker; CD3 antigen; CD8 antigen; granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor; HLA DR antigen; interleukin 1; interleukin 1beta; interleukin 6; interleukin 8; levamisole; tumor necrosis factor alpha; adult; aged; article; blood sampling; chemoluminescence; controlled study; cytokine production; cytokine release; disease activity; drug effect; female; human; immunoassay; inflammatory disease; lichen planus; major clinical study; male; mouth lichen planus; outcomes research; patient monitoring; priority journal; protein blood level; sensitivity and specificity; skin ulcer; T lymphocyte activation; Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Biological Markers; Female; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-8; Levamisole; Lichen Planus, Oral; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Mucosa; Sensitivity and Specificity
Type
journal article