title: Cytokine profile in Behçet's disease patients. Relationship with disease activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse proinflammatory Th1 and Th2 cytokines in patients with Behçet's disease (BD) in relation to disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five BD patients (25 in active stage) were investigated with ELISA for estimation of cytokines levels. Furthermore, cytokines intracellular synthesis (IL-4 and IFN-gamma) of CD4+ T cells was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Active and in remission BD patients showed increased serum levels of Th1 (IFN-gamma, IL-12) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10) cytokines. Active BD was characterized by a higher increase of IL-6, IL-10 and a striking increase of IL-17, IL-18 and IFN-gamma, compared to remission RD. Upon in vitro stimulation, the percentages of CD4+ T cells containing IFN-gamma and CD40L were higher in active BD compared to healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the microenvironment of CD4+ T cells in active BD may induce the production of more cells committed to Th1 than in BD patients in remission and healthy controls.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D020381:Interleukin-17; D020382:Interleukin-18; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma