Reduced expression of the interferon-gamma messenger RNA in IgG2 deficiency.
The specific defect that causes IgG2 deficiency, which is one of the primary immunodeficiencies, is unknown. Recently, it was shown that interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) induces synthesis of human germline C gamma 2 transcripts. In the authors' previous study and the present one, peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of all five tested patients with IgG2 deficiency failed to produce enough IFN-gamma when stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin or concanavalin A although they produced a sufficient amount of interleukin-2 (IL-2). The low level of IgG2 production in pokeweed mitogen-stimulated PBLs of four tested patients was improved by the addition of recombinant IFN-gamma. In this study, the amount of IFN-gamma messenger RNA showed various degrees of reduction in all five tested patients. Sequence analysis of the IFN-gamma coding regions and flanking regions revealed neither a point mutation nor a deletion for any of the patients. Thus the results suggest that the reduced expression of IFN-gamma messenger RNA may play an important role in the IgG2 deficiency of these patients.
Kondo
N
N
Department of Pediatrics, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Inoue
R
R
Kasahara
K
K
Fukao
T
T
Kaneko
H
H
Tashita
H
H
Teramoto
T
T
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D017099:IgG Deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007438:Introns; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D017354:Point Mutation; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015342:DNA Probes; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003208:Concanavalin A; D007371:Interferon-gamma