title: Plasma levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in Ghanaian children with vaccine-modified measles.
abstract: To understand the pathogenesis of vaccine-modified measles (VMM), we measured plasma levels of IFN-gamma and IL-2 (Th1 cytokines), IL-4 and IL-10 (Th2 cytokines), IL-12, TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 in children with uncomplicated measles, who had anti-measles IgG antibodies and with a history of immunization on admission (day 0), day 14 and day 60. We compared these to levels in healthy, age-matched, immunized children. Plasma levels of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-12 were significantly higher in VMM patients on day 0 compared to healthy controls (p = 0.023; p = 0.018; p = 0.001) respectively. In contrast, plasma IL-4 was lower in VMM patients on day 0 when compared to the controls (p = 0.009). Plasma levels of IL-12 remained consistently high on days 14 and 60 (p = 0.001; p = 0.04), whilst IL-10 levels fell significantly on the same days (p = 0.002; p = 0.001) respectively. Kinetically, IFN-gamma and IL-10 levels decreased consistently from day 0 to days 14 and 60 in VMM patients. In contrast, IL-4 levels increased from day 0 to day 14 and day 60. Our results therefore suggest that VMM is associated with an early up-regulation of Th1 cytokine production and a down-regulation of Th2 cytokine production. The strong Th1 response may be associated with the induction of IL-12 and memory cells, thus contributing to the early resolution of the infection and lack of complications.
authors.affiliation: Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Legon, Ghana.
authors.forename: John K A
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Tetteh
authors.forename: Mark M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Addae
authors.forename: Naruhiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishiwada
authors.forename: Sena M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yempewu
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ofori-Adjei
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Komada
authors.forename: Bartholomew D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Akanmori
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008458:Measles Vaccine