Shiohara T, Kobayashi M, Ishii Y, Nagashima M.
DOI: 10.2340/0001555567422426

We studied production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-2 inhibitor from peripheral blood of patients with palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP). Nineteen patients were divided into two groups: those with and those without arthro-osteitis. Although IL-2 production in both groups of patients was within normal limits, those with arthro-osteitis showed greater fluctuation in relation to the disease activity. The IL-2 production of five PPP patients with arthro-osteitis was greatly enhanced in the inactive stage compared with the active stage. Sera from two patients treated with a combination of etretinate and colchicine contained extremely low levels of IL-2 inhibitory activity. The increased IL-2 production in the inactive stage may be due in part to the depletion of IL-2 inhibitor-producing cells by the treatment.