Divergent cytokine production profile in Behçet's disease. Altered Th1/Th2 cell cytokine pattern.
OBJECTIVE
To determine Th1/Th2 cell response cytokine production profile in Behçet's disease (BD).


METHODS
Interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-12 (Th1 cell response), and IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13 (Th2 cell response) cytokine production from anti-CD3/anti-CD40 stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were measured by ELISA.


RESULTS
PBMC from patients with BD produced higher levels of IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13 (Th2 cell response), almost normal levels of IL-2 (Th1 cell response), but highly deficient IFN-gamma and IL-12 (Th1 cell response). The additions of exogenous recombinant IFN-gamma to the anti-CD3 stimulated PBMC dramatically changed this pattern with enhanced IL-12 and concomitantly decreased IL-4 and IL-10 production.


CONCLUSIONS
The immune system in BD may be characterized by a divergent cytokine production profile of mixed Th1/Th2 (Th0) cell type; IFN-gamma is critical in modulating the IL-4, IL-10, and IL-12 cytokine network pathway in this disease.
Raziuddin
S
S
Department of Immunology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
al-Dalaan
A
A
Bahabri
S
S
Siraj
A K
AK
al-Sedairy
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
D000906:Antibodies; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D018793:Interleukin-13; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma