All issues > Volume 47(5); 2004

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2004;47(5):567-573. Published online May 15, 2004.

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

Ran R Lee¹, So Hyun SH Park¹, Yu Jeong YJ Kim¹, So Young SY Kim¹, Hyun Hee HH Kim¹, Wonbae WB Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Wonbae WB Lee ,Email: LWB@hfh.cuk.ac.kr

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-Sch nlein purpura(HSP), and febrile infections.
Methods
: We investigated the serum concentrations of six cytokines and intracellular TNF-α 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-α and IL-6 levels using QuantiBRITE and dual color flow cytometry.
Results
: Serum IFN-γ concentrations were increased more in KD and infections than in HSP and normal controls. Serum TNF-α concentrations were higher in KD and infections than in HSP and normal controls. And TNF-α 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.

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