Ditching the Itch with Anti–Type 2 Cytokine Therapies for Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by intense pruritus and dry, inflamed skin. An impaired skin barrier and a dysregulated immune response to a variety of triggers are key factors in the complex pathophysiological mechanism of this disease. The predominant early immunologic response in atopic dermatitis includes type 2 helper T (Th2) cells, innate lymphoid cells, and keratinocytes that produce the type 2 cytokines, such as thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP, a major promoter of atopy) and interleukins 4, 13, and 31.1 Interleukins 4 and 13 and TSLP inhibit the differentiation of keratinocytes and thereby reduce the production of . . .