Studies investigating the immunopathological aspects of
Jorge Lobo's disease have shown that the inflammatory infiltrate consists mainly of histiocytes and multinucleated giant cells involving numerous yeast-like cells of Lacazia loboi, with the T lymphocytes more common than B lymphocytes and plasma cells. The quantification of
cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells culture supernatant has revealed alterations in the
cytokines profile, characterized by predominance of a Th2 profile. In view of these findings and of the role of
cytokines in cell interactions, the objective of the present study was to investigate the presence of the
cytokines IL-10, TGF-ß1 and TNF-α, as well as
iNOS enzyme in
granulomas induced by L. loboi. Histological sections obtained from skin lesions of 16 patients were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for the presence of these
cytokines and iNOS. The results showed that TGF-ß1 was the
cytokine most frequently expressed by cells present in the inflammatory infiltrate, followed by
IL-10. There was a minimum to discrete positivity of cells expressing TNF-α and iNOS. The results suggest that the presence of immunosuppressive
cytokines in skin lesions of patients with the mycosis might be responsible for the lack of containment of the pathogen as demonstrated by the presence of numerous fungi in the
granuloma.