T-Helper Cytokine Profiles in Patients with Kawasaki Disease

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Kawasaki disease is an acute systemic vasculitis of which pathogenesis suspected is caused by immune dysregulation. The goal of this study is to evaluate the activation pattern of T helper cell type 1 (Th1) and T helper cell type 2 (Th2) in patients with Kawasaki disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Prospective study of 60 patients (male 36, female 24) with diagnosis of Kawasaki disease were enrolled. One hundred and eighty blood samples from these patients were collected according to the different clinical stages {before initial intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), 5 days after initial IVIG, 2 months after initial IVIG}. The plasma level of Th1 cytokines; interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) & interleukin (IL)-2 and Th2 cytokines; IL-4 & IL-10 were measured by enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: In all patients, the plasma level of Th1 cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-2) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) were markedly elevated during the acute stage of Kawasaki disease. Since then, the plasma level of all these cytokines decreased significantly along with the process of clinical stages. Regardless of the existence of coronary artery lesion or no response to initial IVIG treatment, there were no significant differences between them. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that both Th1 and Th2 cells may be activated simultaneously during the acute stage of Kawasaki disease. Further studies are therefore required to establish the difference of activation pattern of T helper cells between Kawasaki disease and other inflammatory diseases.

Cytokine Response to Exercise during Exposure to Cold / 日本補完代替医療学会誌

This study examined cytokine responses to cold exposure together with the effects of exercise and thermal adaptation. Ten male short-track skaters who had adapted to a cold environment, and ten male inline skaters who had not, were each assigned to two experimental conditions. For the cold condition, subjects sat for 60 min at 5–8°C, then exercised on a cycle ergometer for 60 min at 65% maximal oxygen uptake (at 5–8°C), and finally sat again for 120 min at room temperature (20–25°C). In the control condition, subjects participated in the same protocol as the above but at room temperature (20–25°C). Blood samples were collected at pre-cold exposure, post-cold exposure (pre-exercise), post-exercise, post-30 min, post-60 min, and post-120 min, and analyzed for plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p40, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNFR-I), cortisol, and myoglobin by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). 60-min cycle ergometer exercise induced significant increases in plasma IL-1ra, IL-10 and IL-12p40 at room temperature in short-track skaters adapted to the cold, but significant decreases in these cytokines were observed with exposure to cold. These results indicate that acute cold exposure has a suppressive effect on cytokine response during exercise, suggesting the possibility of preventive effects on immunosuppression, heat stroke and allergy induced by exercise.<br>

Effects of Low-Intensity Brief Exercise and Training on Cell-Mediated Immunity / 日本補完代替医療学会誌

We investigated the effects of low-intensity brief exercise on lymphocyte functions and plasma cytokine concentrations. Six young sedentary women performed 30-min walking exercise (6 km/h, 50–65% HR max) per day for 3 weeks. Each subject’s peripheral blood was sampled before training, 1 week and 3 weeks after training, and analyzed for natural killer (NK) cell activity, T cell proliferation activity, granzyme B, interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40 and interferon.γ (IFN-γ). Lymphocyte functions did not change significantly following training, but plasma concentrations of IL-12p40 decreased significantly. These results suggest that cytokine balance towards significant Th1>Th2 is induced by low-intensity training.<br>