title: Increased production of interferon gamma but not interleukin 4 in human T-lymphotropic virus type I carriers.
abstract: We investigated the production of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-1 alpha, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from human T-lymphotropic virus type I(HTLV-I) carriers during short-term in vitro culture, in comparison with that by those from HTLV-I seronegative controls. PBMCs isolated from eight carriers and eight controls were cultured, and cytokine levels were measured in 1- and 3-day culture supernatants. Enhanced production of IFN-gamma was observed in all HTLV-I carriers but none of the controls. IL-4 production was not increased in the carriers except for one with a past history of toxoplasma lymphadenitis. IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha levels were higher in the carriers. CD4+ cells were responsible for the enhanced IFN-gamma production, while monocytes were responsible for the increased IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha production. The present study showed that the PBMCs from HTLV-I carriers consistently produced large amounts of some cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-1 alpha, TNF-alpha) but not of other cytokines (IL-4). This imbalance in cytokine production in HTLV-I carriers may be related to the development of opportunistic infections and/or HTLV-I associated diseases including adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimamoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Funai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma