Abstract
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with atopic eczema (AE) stimulated with the ‘superantigen’ Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB) secreted signifïcantly more interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 as well as IgE, and markedly less interferon-γ than those from healthy controls. Our results support the assumption that SEB produced by S. aureus colonizing the skin of patients with AE may induce expansion of IL-4- and IL-5-producing Th2 clones, leading to increased IgE synthesis and eosinophil activation.

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