title: The role of IL-18 in Th1/Th2 balance in children.
abstract: Interleukin (IL)-18 has been identified as a mediator inducing interferon gamma release from type 1 helper (Th1) cells, CD8+ T cells, and natural killer cells, synergizing with IL-12. Several studies report differential roles of IL-18; but little is known about the role of IL-18 in Th1/Th2 balance in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of IL-18 in Th1- and Th2-mediated diseases of children. Serum IL-18 levels were measured in a group of patients with acute asthma exacerbation (n = 24), in a group of patients who had recently been diagnosed as type I insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (n = 18), and in a group of healthy subjects (n = 20). The groups were compared with respect to IL-18 levels. Significantly lower serum IL-18 levels were found in patients with acute asthma (median, 8.55 pg/mL) and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (median, 7.20 pg/mL) than in control subjects (median, 140.10 pg/mL; p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). We suggest that IL-18 may play an immunoregulatory role in allergic and autoimmune diseases and decreased expression of IL-18 can shift the immune responses to both Th1- and Th2-mediated ways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Internal Medicine, Goztepe Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. aysenurcan@superonline.com
authors.forename: A Nurcan
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Cebeci
authors.forename: Yonca
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nuhoglu
authors.forename: Ilknur
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arslanoglu
authors.forename: Müferet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erguven
authors.forename: Nevin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Agachan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000502:physiology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18