INTERFERON-GAMMA AND INTERLEUKIN-4 PRODUCTION OF OVALBUMIN-STIMULATEDLYMPHOCYTES IN EGG-SENSITIVE CHILDREN

Background: The causal relation between egg allergy and cytokines deri ved from lymphocytes is unknown. Objective: Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamm a) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) production of ovalbumin-stimulated and int erleukin-2 (IL-2)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from e gg-sensitive patients was investigated and compared with that of stimu lated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from nonatopic healthy childr en. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from egg-sensitive pat ients and nonatopic healthy children were cultured with ovalbumin and IL-2 for seven days. The IFN-gamma and IL-4 concentrations in culture supernatants of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells were investigat ed. Results: The levels of IFN-gamma production of only IL-2-stimulate d or both ovalbumin-stimulated and IL-2-stimulated peripheral blood mo nonuclear cells from egg-sensitive patients with atopic dermatitis was significantly higher than that of healthy children and that of egg-se nsitive patients with immediate allergic symptoms. Conclusions: Increa sed IFN-gamma production by lymphocytes after IL-2 and antigen stimula tion has important implications for the mechanism of food-sensitive at opic dermatitis.