Abstract: Objective To study serum levels of interleukin-4,10,interferon-g amma,tumornecrosis factor alpha and soluble interleukin-2 receptor in patients with pemphigus, and their correlation with disease severity. Methods Serum levels of different cytokines were determined by double antibody sandwich enzyme-li nked immunosorbent assay in 31 patients with pemphigus in acute and remission stages, and in 15 normal controls. Serum autoantibody titer was determined by indirect immunofluorescent assay (IIF). The severity of disease was recorded by the Rule of Nine for the calculation of burn surface area. Results IL-10 level was lower in the sera of patients in their acute stage than that of controls(P<0.05 ). sIL-2R and IFN-γ levels were higher in acute patients than those in the controls(P<0.05). IL-10 level demonstrated negative correlation with the disease severity (r=-0.25,P<0.05), while sIL-2R and IFN-γ levels showed positive cor relation with the disease severity(r=0.60,P<0.05;r=0.41,P<0.05). There were no correlation between levels of IL-4, TNF-α, autoantibody titer and diseases everity(P >0.05). Conclusion There are abnormalities of serum levels of cytokine s in patients with pemphigus. Serum levels of IL-10, sIL-2R and IFN-γ are cor related with the severity of the disease.

Key words: Pemphigus, Interleukins, Interferon-γ, Tumor necrosis factor, Receptors, interleukin 2