title: Cytokine production by tonsillar lymphocytes stimulated with alpha-streptococci in patients with pustulosis palmaris et plantaris.
abstract: To clarify the cellular immune response to alpha-streptococci in tonsillar lymphocytes from patients with pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP) we have investigated cytokine production of tonsillar lymphocytes from patients with PPP recurrent tonsillitis (RT). Interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrotizing factor (TNF)-alpha were measured. The stimulation index of IFN-gamma production was significantly higher in tonsillar lymphocytes from PPP than that from RT when cultured with alpha-streptococci (stimulation index: the ratio of cytokine level produced by tonsillar lymphocytes with bacterial antigens to that without antigens). The same results were seen in the case of TNF-alpha, but IL-4 and IL-5 were not detected in any supernatants. These data suggest that increased production of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha in tonsillar lymphocytes may play a key role in this kind of immunologic abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murakata
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Harabuchi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kukuminato
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kataura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma