CYTOKINE PRODUCTION BY TONSILLAR LYMPHOCYTES STIMULATED WITH ALPHA-STREPTOCOCCI IN PATIENTS WITH PUSTULOSIS PALMARIS ET PLANTARIS

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.