Expression Changes of Serum IL-1α, CCL2, and CXCL2 in Patients With Pemphigus

Abstract

Objective: This study was performed to explore the possible changes of the serum levels of the cytokines including interleukin 1α (IL-1 α), chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (also known as chemokine [C-C motif] ligand 2 [CCL2]), and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CXCL2) in patients with pemphigus. Methods: The expression levels of IL-1 α, CCL2, and CXCL2 in the serum of 57 patients with pemphigus PV (including 42 patients in progressive stage and 15 patients in remission stage) and 31 healthy controls were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The indepent-samples t-test was used to compare the two groups. One-way analysis of variance was used for multiple-group comparisons, and the post-hoc least significant difference test was used to detect differences among multiple groups. Results: The serum expression levels of CCL2 and IL-1a were all significantly higher in the patients in progressive stage than in the controls ([2.69 ± 0.23] ng/mL vs. [2.55 ± 0.28] ng/mL, P = 0.043; [0.62 ± 0.27] ng/mL vs. [0.48 ± 0.23] ng/mL, P = 0.038, respectively). In addition, the serum expression level of CXCL2 was significantly higher in patients in progressive stage than in in the remission stage ([61.70 ± 46.38] ng/mL vs. [24.97 ± 18.46] ng/mL, P = 0.037). Sex, disease classification, disease severity, treatment, and mucosal involvement had no significant influence on the expression of IL-1 α, CCL2, or CXCL2 in the serum of patients groups and controls (all P > 0.05). Conclusion: IL-1 α, CCL2, and CXCL2 are heavily involved in the occurrence and development of pemphigus and may be related to the activity of the disease.