title: Th1 and Th2 cytokine profiles in sickle cell disease.
abstract: We have investigated the levels of Th1 (IL-2 and IFN-gamma) and Th2 (IL-4) cytokines in the plasma and supernatants following peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture and mitogen stimulation in a group of 39 patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) made up of 29 SS, 8 Sbeta-thal and 2 Hb SD in steady state. Five SS patients were studied during 7 episodes of vaso-occlusive crisis. Twenty-four control (3 Hb AS and 21 Hb AA) were also studied; 10 were acutely ill while 14 were healthy at the time of the study. The plasma levels of IL-2 and IFN-gamma were similar in the patients and the controls. However, plasma IL-4 was significantly higher among the steady-state SS patients than in the controls. While there was no significant difference in cytokine levels following mitogen stimulation in the different groups, plasma IL-2 to IL-4 and IFN-gamma to IL-4 ratios were significantly lower among the steady-state SS patients, indicating a possible Th2 bias in our sickle cell patients and suggesting a possible mechanism to explain the predisposition of SCD patients to bacterial infections. However, SS patients with good splenic function showed a relative Th1 bias, which may be an additional explanation for the protection against bacterial infections in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait. raj@hsc.kuniv.edu.kw
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raghupathy
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Azizieh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abdelsalam
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Adekile
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma