title: Young patients with both type 1 diabetes mellitus and asthma have a unique IL-12 and IL-18 secretory pattern.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The expression of the regulatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 in patients with both Th1- and Th2-mediated diseases, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and asthma, is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the in vivo and in vitro IL-12 and IL-18 secretion patterns in patients with both T1DM and asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were collected from 44 patients. Mean age 19.4 ± 4.7 yr (10.5-28 yr), divided into four paired groups: T1DM and asthma, asthma only, T1DM only, and healthy controls. T-cell proliferative response was assessed. IL-12 and IL-18 serum levels and expression by PBMC following in vitro stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with T1DM and asthma had higher serum levels of both IL-12 and IL-18 compared to controls: 146.2 ± 69.2 and 109.7 ± 34.6 pg/mL, p = 0.038 and 436.1 ± 117.9, 320.2 ± 99.1 pg/mL, p = 0.028, respectively. Stimulated IL-12 secretion was significantly lower in these patients compared to those with one disease only: 809 ± 426.4, 2111.6 ± 2214.3, 3188.1 ± 2692.9 pg/mL and after 48 h: 956.3 ± 489.3, 2429.8 ± 2394.6, 3874.5 ± 2820.3 pg/mL, respectively, p < 0.03 for all. The IL-18/IL-12 serum ratio was also significantly higher in patients with both diseases compared to those with asthma only, p = 0.017.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with both T1DM and asthma display a different pattern of IL-12 and IL-18 expression compared to patients with one disease only and controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel. rmarianna@gmail.com
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rachmiel
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bloch
authors.forename: Aviv A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shaul
authors.forename: Gilad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ben-Yehudah
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bistritzer
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weintrob
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ofan
authors.forename: Micha J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rapoport
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D018664:Interleukin-12