Abstract: Objective To elucidate the role of interleukin -6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor -α(TNF-α) in the pathogenesis of pemphigus, and to find out the relationship between the two cytokines and the activity of the disease. Methods The serum levels of IL-6, TNF αwere determined by double antibody sandwich enzyme liked immuno sorbant assay (ELISA) in 26 patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and 14 patients with pemphigus erythematosus (PE) prior to treatment, in 8 PV patients after complete clearing of the skin lesions and in 23 normal controls. The levels of IL-6 and TNF-αwere also tested in the blister fluid obtained from 4 PV patients at the same time when the serum samples were taken. Results The results showed that the serum levels of IL-6 and TNF αwere significantly higher in patients with pemphigus than that in normal controls (P<0.01).A significant correlation was found between the serum levels of IL-6 and TNF αand the total area of lesions for each patient (P<0.01). The serum levels of the two cytokines declined as the skin lesion had completely disappeared(P<0.05). The levels of both IL-6 and TNF αin the blister fluid of 4 PV patients were higher than that in the serum samples obtained at the same time. Conclusion The results indicate that there is a relationship between the serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-αand the activity of pemphigus. The results also suggest that IL-6 and TNF-αplay an important role in the pathogenesis of pemphigus.

Key words: Pemphigus, Interleukin -6, Tumor necrosis factor