Cytokine production in chronic idiopathic urticaria

In this study we examined the frequency of certain cytokines in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), at a single cell level by using flow cytometry. In patients with CIU the frequency of IL-10 producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was significantly higher, while the frequency of IFN-gamma producing T cells was significantly lower than that of control subjects. The proportion of IL-4 producing CD4+ T cells from patients with CIU was significantly lower. The ratio of IL-13 producing CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and the ratio of IL-4 producing CD8+ T lymphocytes did not differ significantly. In summary we measured a significant elevation in the intracellular IL-10 level and this may be the cause of the downregulated Th1 and Tc1 and partly Th2 lymphocyte functions in CIU.