Korean J Pediatr.  2004 May;47(5):567-573.

Comparison of Cytokine Expressions among Kawasaki Disease and Its Symptom-related Diseases

• Lee R
• Park SH
• Kim YJ
• Kim SY
• Kim HH
• Lee W

Abstract

PURPOSE
Kawasaki disease(KD) is an important acute febrile systemic vasculitis disease. Various cytokines have been studied to evaluate the pathogenesis of vascular injury. Some cytokines have been implicated for vascular injury, but there has been no direct evidence. We compared cytokine profiles of KD with Henoch-Schonlein purpura(HSP), and febrile infections.
METHODS
We investigated the serum concentrations of six cytokines and intracellular TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels in T cells and monocytes with acute KD, HSP and infections. We determined serum cytokine concentrations using the cytometric bead array method and detected intracellular TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels using QuantiBRITE and dual color flow cytometry.
RESULTS
Serum IFN-gamma concentrations were increased more in KD and infections than in HSP and normal controls. Serum TNF-alpha concentrations were higher in KD and infections than in HSP and normal controls. And TNF-alpha concentrations in KD were lower than in infections. Serum IL-10 concentrations were higher in KD and in infections than in HSP and normal controls. And IL-10 concentrations in KD were higher than in infections. Serum IL-6 concentrations were higher in KD and in infections than in HSP and normal controls. Serum IL-4 and IL-2 concentrations were lower and similar to those of normal controls, respectively. However, intracellular IL-6 levels in T cells were higher in KD than in infections and intracellular IL-6 levels in monocytes were higher in KD than in infections.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that the alterations of various cytokines in KD are related to fever rather than to vasculitis. KD showed higher IL-10 levels in serum and intracellular IL-6 levels in T cell and monocyte than HSP. This reveals that the pathogenesis of KD is different from that of HSP.

Keyword

Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome; Purpura; Schoenlein; Henoch; Interferons; Tumor necrosis factor; Interleukin-2; Interleukin-4; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-10

MeSH Terms

Cytokines
Fever
Flow Cytometry
Interferons
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-2
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-6
Monocytes
Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*
Purpura
Systemic Vasculitis
T-Lymphocytes
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Vascular System Injuries
Vasculitis
Cytokines
Interferons
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-2
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-6
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha