Interferon-gamma and interleukin-4 production of ovalbumin-stimulated lymphocytes in egg-sensitive children.
BACKGROUND
The causal relation between egg allergy and cytokines derived from lymphocytes is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) production of ovalbumin-stimulated and interleukin-2 (IL-2)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from egg-sensitive patients was investigated and compared with that of stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from nonatopic healthy children.


METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from egg-sensitive patients and nonatopic healthy children were cultured with ovalbumin and IL-2 for seven days. The IFN-gamma and IL-4 concentrations in culture supernatants of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells were investigated.


RESULTS
The levels of IFN-gamma production of only IL-2-stimulated or both ovalbumin-stimulated and IL-2-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from egg-sensitive patients with atopic dermatitis was significantly higher than that of healthy children and that of egg-sensitive patients with immediate allergic symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased IFN-gamma production by lymphocytes after IL-2 and antigen stimulation has important implications for the mechanism of food-sensitive atopic dermatitis.
Shinbara
M
M
Department of Pediatrics, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kondo
N
N
Agata
H
H
Fukutomi
O
O
Kuwabara
N
N
Kobayashi
Y
Y
Miura
M
M
Orii
T
T
D002474:Cell-Free System; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004531:Eggs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test
D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin