Clinical immunology : the official journal of the Clinical Immunology Society
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Pruritus is one of the cardinal symptoms found in patients with leukemic cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL). The nature of the pruritus experienced by CTCL patients is complex, involving different pathways and cell mediators, thus making it poorly responsive to conventional anti-itch therapies. ⋯ Here we provide both in vivo and in vitro evidence suggesting that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors may mitigate itch through lowering of levels of IL-31-expressing T cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that chemokine receptor type-4 (CCR4)-bearing T cells are a main source of IL-31 in CTCL, and that neutralizing the IL-31 pathway through targeting of the CCR4-expressing T cells may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for symptomatic relief in CTCL.