Open AccessIL‐4 and interferon‐gamma production in children with atopic disease
Author(s) -
TANG M.,
KEMP A.,
VARIGOS G.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1993.tb05957.x
Subject(s) - phytohaemagglutinin , immunology , immunoglobulin e , atopy , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , cytokine , in vivo , medicine , interleukin 4 , interferon gamma , allergy , in vitro , lymphocyte , biology , antibody , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology
SUMMARY In vitro studies have implicated reciprocal roles for IL‐4 and interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) in the regulation of IgE production. As elevated IgE is a major feature of atopic disease, an important question is whether an imbalance of IL‐4 and IFN‐γ is present in vivo . The production of IL‐4 and IFN‐γ in phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)‐stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures from atopic children was examined to determine if there is an increased production of IL‐4 and/or a reduced production of IFN‐γ. Highly atopic children with IgE >600 U/ml produced significantly more IL‐4 and less IFN‐γ in vitro than age‐matched non‐atopic controls. Production of IL‐4 and IFN‐γ in mildly atopic children was equivalent to controls. These findings indicate that highly atopic children have an imbalance of IL‐4 and IFN‐γ production and that the degree of imbalance relates to severity of the atopic state. The ratio of in vitro IL‐4: IFN‐γ production correlated positively with serum IgE, which suggests that the balance of these two cytokines is a factor in the regulation of IgE, in vivo . It remains to be determined whether this imbalance of IL‐4 and IFN‐γ in the highly atopic children is the cause or result of the disease process.