This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Tateda, K.
Right arrow Articles by Yamaguchi, K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Tateda, K.
Right arrow Articles by Yamaguchi, K.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, May 1998, p. 401-403, Vol. 5, No. 3
1071-412X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Serum Cytokines in Patients with Legionella Pneumonia: Relative Predominance of Th1-Type Cytokines

Kazuhiro Tateda,* Tetsuya Matsumoto, Yoshikazu Ishii, Nobuhiko Furuya, Akira Ohno, Shuichi Miyazaki, and Keizo Yamaguchi

Department of Microbiology, Toho University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Received 15 September 1997/Returned for modification 1 December 1997/Accepted 20 January 1998

Serum samples from 14 patients with Legionella pneumonia were examined for the presence of cytokines. In spite of high levels of serum C-reactive protein in all patients during the acute phase in only four cases (one involving interleukin-1beta [IL-1beta ], three involving IL-6, and none involving tumor necrosis factor alpha) was the concentration of cytokines more than 100 pg/ml. Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 were detected in only one patient each. In contrast, significant increases of serum gamma interferon (IFN-gamma ) and IL-12 levels were observed during the acute phase in 6 and 11 cases, respectively. Interestingly, although serum IFN-gamma levels diminished thereafter, in seven cases IL-12 levels remained high or increased further during the convalescent phase. In an additional 22 cases clinically suspected to be but not diagnosed as Legionella pneumonia, increases of serum IL-12 levels were observed in 16 cases, whereas the remaining 6 cases showed no detectable IL-12. Our results demonstrate the relative predominance of Th1 cytokine production in Legionella pneumonia. Although the role and significance of prolonged increases in IL-12 levels in Legionella disease are unknown, our results should prompt further investigation of the host immune response in terms of Th1 and Th2 balance in legionellosis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology, Toho University School of Medicine, 5-21-16 Ohmori-nishi, Ohta-ku, Tokyo 143, Japan. Phone: 81-3-3762-4151, ext. 2397. Fax: 81-3-5493-5415. E-mail address: kazu{at}sirius.med.toho-u.ac.jp.

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, May 1998, p. 401-403, Vol. 5, No. 3
1071-412X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Yoshizawa, S., Tateda, K., Matsumoto, T., Gondaira, F., Miyazaki, S., Standiford, T. J., Yamaguchi, K. (2005). Legionella pneumophila Evades Gamma Interferon-Mediated Growth Suppression through Interleukin-10 Induction in Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages. Infect. Immun. 73: 2709-2717 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lettinga, K D, Weijer, S, Speelman, P, Prins, J M, van der Poll, T, Verbon, A (2003). Reduced interferon-{gamma} release in patients recovered from Legionnaires' disease. Thorax 58: 63-67 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Deng, J. C., Tateda, K., Zeng, X., Standiford, T. J. (2001). Transient Transgenic Expression of Gamma Interferon Promotes Legionella pneumophila Clearance in Immunocompetent Hosts. Infect. Immun. 69: 6382-6390 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Klein, T. W., Newton, C. A., Nakachi, N., Friedman, H. (2000). {Delta}9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Treatment Suppresses Immunity and Early IFN-{gamma}, IL-12, and IL-12 Receptor {beta}2 Responses to Legionella pneumophila Infection. J. Immunol. 164: 6461-6466 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • ElKarim, R., Granert, C., Lindquist, L., Link, H., Bakhiet, M. (1999). Levels of Gamma Interferon and Interleukin-4 Are Inversely Related to the Levels of Their Corresponding Autoantibodies in Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Infection. Infect. Immun. 67: 3051-3054 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»