title: Does immune activation continue during an attack-free period in familial Mediterranean fever?
abstract: Although some information is available regarding immune activation in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), little is known about either peripheral blood T cell activation marker expression or the T cell proliferative response to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). In the present study, we aimed to investigate the percentages of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, T cell expression of cellular activation markers (CD25, CD69, HLA-DR), the T cell response to PHA and serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and interleukin (IL)-10 in patients with FMF. Forty patients with FMF were enrolled into the study. Control groups were sex- and age-matched and consisted of 20 healthy blood donors and 15 patients with inactive Behcet's disease. The patients with FMF in an attack period had higher levels of sIL-2R than those in an attack-free period, and also in comparison with both control groups. The levels of sIL-2R were also found to be higher in patients with FMF in an attack-free period than those in both control groups. The mean levels of IL-10 were found to be lower in patients with FMF in an attack-free period than those in an attack period and were also lower than those in the healthy controls. In an acute attack period, the absolute counts of CD3+HLA-DR+, CD4+CD69+, CD8+CD25+ and CD8+CD69+ T cells in peripheral blood samples were also higher than those in both control groups. Both the percentages and absolute counts of CD4+CD69+ T cells in peripheral blood samples of patients with FMF in an attack-free period were slightly but significantly higher than those in the healthy controls. In conclusion, our study indicates that the T cell system is abnormally activated in patients with FMF in both the attack and attack-free period and that decreased IL-10 levels may create a tendency to perpetuate subclinical immune activation in the attack-free period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Gülhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Musabak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sengul
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oktenli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pay
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yesilova
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kenar
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Sanisoglu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tuzun
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erdil
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bagci
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000032:analysis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D016753:Interleukin-10; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D000099192:CD69 Antigens