An interferon-gamma-related cytokine storm in SARS patients.
Fourteen cytokines or chemokines were analyzed on 88 RT-PCR-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients. IFN-gamma, IL-18, TGF-beta, IL-6, IP-10, MCP-1, MIG, and IL-8, but not of TNF-alpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, or TNFRI, were highly elevated in the acute phase sera of Taiwan SARS patients. IFN-gamma was significantly higher in the Ab(+) group than in the Ab(-) group. IFN-gamma, IL-18, MCP-1, MIG, and IP-10 were already elevated at early days post fever onset. Furthermore, levels of IL-18, IP-10, MIG, and MCP-1 were significantly higher in the death group than in the survival group. For the survival group, IFN-gamma and MCP-1 were inversely associated with circulating lymphocytes count and monocytes count, but positively associated with circulating neutrophils count. It is concluded that an interferon-gamma-related cytokine storm was induced post SARS coronavirus infection, and this cytokine storm might be involved in the immunopathological damage in SARS patients.
Huang
Kao-Jean
KJ
Department of Basic Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Su
Ih-Jen
IJ
Theron
Michel
M
Wu
Yi-Chun
YC
Lai
Shu-Kuan
SK
Liu
Ching-Chuan
CC
Lei
Huan-Yao
HY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D013624:Taiwan
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D007371:Interferon-gamma