THE INVESTIGATION OF SOME CYTOKINES ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALOPECIA AREATA

Abstract

The immune response plays a leading role in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata which develops by Тh1-type with the formation of a large number of proinflammatory cytokines: IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-γ and TNF-α. The anti-inflammatory cytokines disrupt the excessively formation of them under normal conditions. The Th2-cells produce anti-inflammatory cytokines. The role of Th2 cytokines is not clear with studies showing varied and contradictory results. In recent years, a new type of T-helpers has been discovered – Th-17, producing IL-17A. Th-17 plays a fundamental role in the immunopathogenesis of a wide range of autoimmune diseases. However, the involvement of Th17 in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata is the least studied. Therefore, the aim of our study was to analyze the possible relation between the serum content of T-dependent cytokines (IL-17A, IL-2, IL-10) and the development of alopecia areata. The venous blood of 104 patients with alopecia areata age of (35,7 ± 8,9) years was used in the study. During the patients examination the data on age, sex, smoking, interleukin-17A (pg/ml), interleukin-2 (pg/ml) and interleukin-10 (pg/ml) were obtained. Also, the severity of alopecia tool index was assessed in each subject. To measure the serum level of interleukins in group the Sandwich-ELISA method (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay) was used. Unpaired two-tailed Student t-test was used for statistical analysis. The significance level was set at P < 0.05. The obtained results revealed that proinflammatory cytokines IL-17A and IL-2 are associated with the emergence of alopecia areata. Thus, it was found that serum levels of IL-17A and IL-2 were increased in patients with alopecia areata. The association of IL-10 with the development of alopecia areata was not established.

Keywords

• alopecia areata
• interleukin-17а
• interleukin-2
• interleukin-10.