Sweet's syndrome: Is the pathogenesis mediated by helper T cell type 1 cytokines?

Background: The pathogenesis of Sweet's syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis; SS) is still not fully understood. An imbalance between helper T cell types 1 and 2 cytokine secretion patterns has been shown to be relevant in many diseases. Objective: We assessed the serum cytokine levels (interleukin [IL]-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2, interferon gamma [IFN-gamma], IL-4) in patients with SS. Methods: Eight patients with SS were analyzed for their clinical features and serum cytokine levels and compared with normal control subjects. Results: In patients serum levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2, and IFN-gamma were significantly elevated, whereas the IL-4 level was within the normal range. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the pathogenesis of SS is probably mediated through helper T cell type I cytokines (IL-2, IFN-gamma) rather than helper T cell type 2 cytokines (IL-4).