title: Characterization of T-cell subsets, soluble interleukin-2 receptors and interleukin-6 in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.
abstract: The lymphocyte subunits and subsets of 12 patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH disease) were characterized using two-color flow cytometry techniques, both in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in peripheral blood (PB). Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were also measured. The percentage of T cells was significantly higher in CSF than in PB (P less than 0.01), but the percentage of B cells was decreased in CSF (P less than 0.05). As for T-cell subsets, the percentage of helper T cells was especially high in CSF (P less than 0.01). Also, the ratio of helper T cells/suppressor T cells was significantly larger in CSF than in PB. These data suggest that helper T cells play an important role in the early stages of VKH disease. sIL-2R and IL-6 levels were not elevated in CSF of patients with VKH disease. The level of sIL-2R in serum also was not elevated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tokushima University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kogiso
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanouchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mimura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014607:Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2