Immunogenetics of cytokine genes in parthenium dermatitis: a review

Parthenium dermatitis is a chronic immuno-inflammatory, distressing skin disease and is mediated by activated T-lymphocyte which is primarily manifested on the exposed sites of the face, neck, hand and flexures. Parthenium hysterophorus is ubiquitous, hence it is diffi-cult to avoid the aero-allergenic antigen parthenin, responsible for the contact dermatitis. The pathogenesis of parthenium dermatitis is characterized by infiltration of T-lymphocytes into challenged skin sites and the development of a cutaneous inflammation due to altered regulatory network of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Regulation of inflammatory events perpetuated by cytokines continues to complicate efforts to analyze both the function of individual cytokine and the influence of candidate gene polymorphism on expression and disease severity. The genetic polymorphisms in these cytokines are significantly affecting immunological parameters and, subsequently, modulation and polarization of immune responses. This review has focused mainly on understanding of the mechanisms of genetic susceptibility of cytokine genes in this disease and, further, this process is likely to achieve significant advances in the diagnosis and management of parthenium dermatitis.