DIFFERENTIAL INVOLVEMENT OF TH1 AND TH2 CYTOKINES IN AUTOIMMUNE-DISEASES

By virtue of their functional antagonism, Th1 cells or cells producing the same cytokines as Th1 cells may behave as 'suppressor cells' with respect to Th2 cells and vice versa, An excessive Th1- or Th2-like re sponse may favor the development of different autoimmune diseases, As can be expected from their physiological role, Th-l cytokines particip ate in autoimmune diseases with a preferential delayed type hypersensi tivity component, i.e. in those diseases in which cytotoxic T cells at tack organ-specific target cells, Autoimmune diseases with a predomina nt Th1 component include experimental autoimmune encephalitis and insu lin-dependent diabetes mellitus, In contrast, Th2-type responses parti cipate in systemic autoimmune diseases with a strong humoral component , Such diseases probably include certain drug-induced states of autoag gression, namely mercury-induced autoimmune disease and chlorpromazine -induced autoimmunity, It is tempting to speculate that therapeutic in terventions designed to recover a normal Th1/Th2 balance will provide a useful etiological strategy for the re-establishment of self-toleran ce.