title: Low lymphocyte interferon-gamma production and variable proliferative response in anorexia nervosa patients.
abstract: Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in 14 patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) was significantly lower than in 14 age-matched healthy controls. Follow-up samples in four patients displayed low levels, except in two when they recovered the IFN-gamma production as the hormonal cycles were restored. A large interindividual variation for the lymphocyte proliferative response was observed in 30 AN patients. DNA synthesis of PBMC was normal in 8 patients (27%), significantly increased in 6 (20%) (P < 0.001), and significantly decreased in 16 (53%) (P < 0.001). IFN-gamma inhibition was reversed by culturing a control lymphocyte population with monocytes from patients with AN. This was not observed in cultures of control monocytes and AN lymphocytes. IL-2 receptor (TAC subunit) was assessed and no difference was found in the number of TAC-positive cells between patients and controls. These results point out impaired production of the immunomodulator cytokine IFN-gamma as a major functional defect of AN peripheral lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sustancias Vasoactivas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Polack
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Nahmod
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Emeric-Sauval
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bello
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Finkielman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arzt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004261:DNA Replication; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D004247:DNA