Th2 shift in mononeuritis multiplex and increase of Th2 cells in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: an intracellular cytokine analysis.
To elucidate the T helper 1 (Th1)/T helper 2 (Th2) balance in various inflammatory neuropathies, we measured the ratio of intracellular interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-positive to IL-4-positive cells (intracellular IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio) by flow cytometry in peripheral blood CD4(+) T cells of 14 patients with mononeuritis multiplex (MNM), 12 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), 10 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), 23 patients with neurodegenerative disorders and 36 healthy controls by intracellular labeling. The patients with MNM showed a significantly lower intracellular IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio (P<0.05) and higher IL-4(+)/IFN-gamma(-) cell percentages (P<0.05) than the controls. The increase of IL-4(+)/IFN-gamma(-) cell percentages was especially prominent in MNM of unknown etiology (P<0.005). The patients with CIDP also showed significantly higher IL-4(+)/IFN-gamma(-) cell percentages (P<0.05) than the controls. The IL-4(+)/IFN-gamma(-) cell percentages were increased in some patients with GBS, but the difference was not significant compared with the controls. Thus, our results suggest that a Th2 shift is a characteristic of MNM and may play an important role in the development of the disease.
Horiuchi
I
I
Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Ochi
H
H
Murai
H
H
Osoegawa
M
M
Minohara
M
M
Furuya
H
H
Kira
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020422:Mononeuropathies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020277:Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology
D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma