title: Production of IL-4, IL-2, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with atopic dermatitis.
abstract: Recently, T cell-derived cytokines have been postulated to be involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) since the synthesis of IgE is profoundly regulated by cytokines such as IL-4, IFN-gamma and IL-2. IL-4 enhances the production of IgE and in contrast, IFN-gamma inhibits this IL-4-mediated IgE production. IL-2 also prevents IL-4-induced production of IgE by a different mechanism from IFN-gamma, suggesting that the level of IgE is regulated by the quantitative balance of these antagonizing cytokines. We examined the production of IL-4, IL-2, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha by PBMC of AD patients and non-AD controls. Although the production of IL-2 and TNF-alpha by AD patients was significantly lower than that of non-AD controls, the production of IL-4 and IFN-gamma did not show significant differences between AD and non-AD individuals. There was no significant correlation between cytokine production and clinical symptoms in AD patients. There was significant positive correlation between IL-4 and IL-2 production, and between IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha production. Serum IL-4 levels showed no significant difference between AD group and non-AD group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furue
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma