Plasmapheresis affects T helper type-1/T helper type-2 balance of circulating peripheral lymphocytes.
Plasmapheresis not only removes humoral factors, but may also modulate cellular immunity. We investigated whether plasmapheresis influenced T helper type-1/T helper type-2 (Th1/Th2) cytokine-producing-cell balance in 3 patients with neuroimmunological disease. The production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and IL-4 in the culture supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated by anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 was assayed. In 2 of 3 patients, plasmapheresis (immunoadsorption or plasma exchange) reduced Th1/Th2 cytokine ratio. The results may suggest that plasmapheresis induces a shift of Th1/Th2 balance in peripheral blood.
Goto
H
H
Department of Neurology, Kawatana National Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan.
Matsuo
H
H
Nakane
S
S
Izumoto
H
H
Fukudome
T
T
Kambara
C
C
Shibuya
N
N
D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D019846:Miller Fisher Syndrome / Q000628:therapy; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000628:therapy; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D020277:Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating / Q000628:therapy; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma