title: High TNF-alpha and low IL-2 producing T cells characterize active disease in Takayasu's arteritis.
abstract: We have investigated intracellular production by T cells and plasma levels of TNF-alpha, IL-2 and IFN-gamma in 12 active and 10 inactive Takayasu's arteritis (TA) patients and 12 healthy controls. The active TA compared to inactive TA and controls had higher TNF-alpha (52.7 +/- 22.3% vs. 32.9 +/- 14.2% and 35.2 +/- 14.5%, respectively; P = 0. 020), lower IL-2 (19.6 +/- 13.2% vs. 36.1 +/- 10.1% and 31.2 +/- 10.3%, respectively; P = 0.010) and comparable IFN-gamma (38.6 +/- 13.9% vs. 34.2 +/- 12.4% and 34.9 +/- 11.1%, respectively; P = 0.581) producing CD3+ T cells. There was no difference in the plasma levels of the cytokines between active TA, inactive TA and controls (TNF-alpha: 79.1 +/- 94.5 vs. 72.9 +/- 120.0 and 9.5 +/- 6.7 pg/ml, P = 0.110; IL-2: 4.3 +/- 4.8 vs. 6.6 +/- 4.7 and 8.6 +/- 4.5 pg/ml, P = 0.094 and IFN-gamma: 10.1 +/- 11.3 vs. 8.8 +/- 8.7 and 8.2 +/- 6.5 pg/ml, P = 0.871, respectively). The data show an important role of these high TNF-alpha and low IL-2 producing T cells in TA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226014, India.
authors.forename: Naresh Kumar
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Tripathy
authors.forename: Prem Chand
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Soniya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nityanand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma