Enhanced Expression of IL-18 and IL-18BP in Plasma of Patients with Eczema: Altered Expression of IL-18BP and IL-18 Receptor on Mast Cells

Figure 3

Flow cytometry analysis of the expression of IL-18 in dispersed skin mast cells of mice. Mice were treated with OVA solution for 3 weeks. For control experiments, healthy mice received NS only instead of OVA solution. After IL-18 or NS being injected subcutaneously around skin lesion area for 3 h, skin tissues of 3 × 3 cm² around and far away from the injection site were removed and digested. Dispersed skin mast cells were then analyzed by flow cytometry. (a) represents gating strategy for live cells; (b), (d), and (f) show percentage of mast cells in skin of healthy mice (HM) and in normal or inflammatory skin of eczema mice treated with normal saline (NS), respectively. (c), (e), and (g) show percentage of mast cells in skin of healthy mice (HM) and in normal or inflammatory skin of eczema mice treated with IL-18 (10 ng/ml), respectively. (h) represents median percentage values of mast cells in mouse skin. Data shown are the median (range) value from 6 different mice. in comparison with NS group. ^† compared with HM IL-18 group. ^‡ compared with HM NS group (paired Mann–Whitney U test).