Chronic proliferative dermatitis (cpdm) is a spontaneous mutation that results in eosinophilic inflammation in multiple tissues, including the skin. To determine the mechanisms underlying the eosinophilic inflammation, the expression of cytokines in the skin was determined. There was increased expression of IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐13, and granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor in the skin of cpdm/cpdm mice, and no change in IL‐10 and TNF expression. Supernatants of cultured spleen cells of cpdm/cpdm mice contained an increased amount of IL‐5 and IL‐13, and a decreased amount of IFN‐γ. The ability of the cpdm/cpdm mice to mount a delayed‐type hypersensitivity response was greatly reduced. These data are consistent with impaired type 1 and excessive type 2 cytokine production in cpdm/cpdm mice. The significance of this imbalanced cytokine production was evident in the efficacy of systemic treatment of cpdm/cpdm mice with IL‐12. Mutant mice treated for 3 weeks with IL‐12 had minimal changes in the skin as opposed to the severe dermatitis in mice treated with the vehicle. Treatment with IL‐11, which opposes the effect of IL‐12, had no effect.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.