Overproduction of monocyte derived tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin (IL) 6, IL-8 and increased neutrophil superoxide generation in Behçet's disease. A comparative study with familial Mediterranean fever and healthy subjects.
OBJECTIVE
The etiopathogenesis of Behçet's disease (BD) has not yet been clarified but might involve immune dysfunction. As cytokines are involved in the regulation of immune responses and inflammatory reactions, we investigated whether they may play a role in the pathogenesis of BD.


METHODS
We investigated spontaneous and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin (IL) 1, IL-6, IL-8 and granulocyte monocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by peripheral blood monocytes from 21 patients with BD, 10 healthy controls and 10 patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), another chronic inflammatory disease. We also studied superoxide generation and surface antigen expression by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN).


RESULTS
The spontaneous secretion of TNF alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 by monocytes was significantly increased in patients with active BD. The secretion of TNF alpha, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8 was found to be in normal range in asymptomatic patients with FMF. The LPS stimulated production of TNF alpha, IL-6, IL-1 and IL-8 was significantly increased in patients with BD, without any correlation with BD activity. In vitro, PMN spontaneously generated significant amounts of superoxide in patients with active BD.


CONCLUSIONS
Taken together, our results suggest that monocyte and PMN dysfunctions may play a role in the pathogenesis of BD.
Mege
J L
JL
Laboratorie d'Immunologie, Hôpital de Sainte-Marguerite, Marseille, France.
Dilsen
N
N
Sanguedolce
V
V
Gul
A
A
Bongrand
P
P
Roux
H
H
Ocal
L
L
Inanç
M
M
Capo
C
C
D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
D016207:Cytokines; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013481:Superoxides; D003165:Complement System Proteins