Th1 and Th2 cytokine production is suppressed at the level of transcriptional regulation in Kawasaki disease.
To clarify the functional state of T cells in Kawasaki disease, we analysed mRNA expression levels of Th1/Th2 cytokines (IFN-gamma and IL-4) along with Th1/Th2-inducing transcription factors, T-bet and GATA-3, which play pivotal roles in the development of Th1 and Th2 cells, respectively. By real-time PCR, IFN-gamma mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were significantly decreased in Kawasaki disease patients compared with those with measles, and tended to be lower than those in healthy controls. T-bet mRNA levels were significantly decreased in patients with Kawasaki disease compared with healthy controls. In addition, IL-4 and GATA-3 mRNA levels were significantly decreased in Kawasaki disease compared with healthy controls. Regulatory cytokine mRNA levels (TGF-beta and IL-10) were also decreased in Kawasaki disease. The mRNA levels of IFN-gamma showed a significant positive correlation with those of T-bet in Kawasaki disease. These results suggest that the suppressed function of Th1 and Th2, associated with the suppression of both T-bet and GATA-3 gene expression, may be one of the immunological characteristics of Kawasaki disease.
Kimura
J
J
Department of Paediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Takada
H
H
Nomura
A
A
Ohno
T
T
Mizuno
Y
Y
Saito
M
M
Kusuhara
K
K
Hara
T
T
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
D016207:Cytokines; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494749:GATA3 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma