A case of pathophysiologic study in Kimura's disease: measurement of cytokines and surface analysis of eosinophils

Background: Kimura's disease is a rare but distinctive eosinophilic inflamm atory disorder of unknown etiology; few reported case studies have focused on the immunopathologic background of this unique disease. Objective: To define better the immunopathogenetic features of Kimura's dis ease, we attempted to quantitatively analyze values of cytokines and solubl e interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) in peripheral blood (PB), as well as perf orm surface immunophenotypic analysis of eosinophils from a Japanese patien t with chronic relapsing Kimura's disease. Results: Granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor n ecrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and sIL-2R were elevated, and newly expres sed antigens on eosinophils CD4, CD25, and HLA-DR were found to be involved in the pathophysiology of this disorder. Conclusions: Kimura's disease may be a disease in which activated lymphocyt es release cytokines, and these released cytokines, such as CM-CSF and TNF- alpha cause eosinophil activation. These processes may be related to the pa thogenesis of this disorder.