H. Murakata et al., CYTOKINE PRODUCTION BY TONSILLAR LYMPHOCYTES STIMULATED WITH ALPHA-STREPTOCOCCI IN PATIENTS WITH PUSTULOSIS PALMARIS ET PLANTARIS, Acta oto-laryngologica, 1996, pp. 201-203
To clarify the cellular immune response to alpha-streptococci in tonsi
llar lymphocytes from patients with pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (
PPP) we have investigated cytokine production of tonsillar lymphocytes
from patients with PPP recurrent tonsillitis (RT). Interleukin (IL)-1
alpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necro
tizing factor (TNF)-alpha were measured. The stimulation index of IFN-
gamma production was significantly higher in tonsillar lymphocytes fro
m PPP than that from RT when cultured with alpha-streptococci (stimula
tion index: the ratio of cytokine level produced by tonsillar lymphocy
tes with bacterial antigens to that without antigens). The same result
s were seen in the case of TNF-alpha, but IL-4 and IL-5 were not detec
ted in any supernatants. These data suggest that increased production
of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha in tonsillar lymphocytes may play a key rol
e in this kind of immunologic abnormalities.