Cytokine profiles in Wegener's granulomatosis: predominance of type 1 (Th1) in the granulomatous inflammation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a specific cytokine pattern (type 1 [Th1] or type 2 [Th2]) predominates in Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), by evaluating interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) expression in different compartments of the body (i.e., biopsied nasal mucosal tissue [NBS], bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL] fluid, and peripheral blood [PB]) and comparing the findings with those in disease and healthy control subjects.


METHODS
Competitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to assess IFNgamma and IL-4 expression in T cell clones (TCC), T cell lines (TCL), and polyclonal CD4+ and CD8+ cells derived from NBS, BAL, and PB.


RESULTS
Patients with WG and chronic rhinitis were found to share in situ production of messenger RNA (mRNA) specific for IFNgamma (Th1). Only 2 patients with WG expressed IL-4, whereas IL-4 mRNA PCR products were found in inflamed tissues of the disease control patients. The granuloma-derived T cells of WG patients produced only IFNgamma, while TCC, TCL, and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from BAL and PB produced mainly IFNgamma.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that a Thl cytokine pattern predominates in the granulomatous inflammation in patients with WG.
Csernok
E
E
Medical University of Lübeck/Rheumaklinik Bad Bramstedt, Bad Bramstedt, Germany.
Trabandt
A
A
Müller
A
A
Wang
G C
GC
Moosig
F
F
Paulsen
J
J
Schnabel
A
A
Gross
W L
WL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002999:Clone Cells; D015342:DNA Probes; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000276:immunology
D015342:DNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma