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Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, May 1998, p. 401-403, Vol. 5, No. 3
1071-412X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Serum Cytokines in Patients with Legionella Pneumonia: Relative Predominance of Th1-Type Cytokines

Kazuhiro Tateda,* Tetsuya Matsumoto, Yoshikazu Ishii, Nobuhiko Furuya, Akira Ohno, Shuichi Miyazaki, and Keizo Yamaguchi

Department of Microbiology, Toho University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Received 15 September 1997/Returned for modification 1 December 1997/Accepted 20 January 1998

Serum samples from 14 patients with Legionella pneumonia were examined for the presence of cytokines. In spite of high levels of serum C-reactive protein in all patients during the acute phase in only four cases (one involving interleukin-1beta [IL-1beta ], three involving IL-6, and none involving tumor necrosis factor alpha) was the concentration of cytokines more than 100 pg/ml. Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 were detected in only one patient each. In contrast, significant increases of serum gamma interferon (IFN-gamma ) and IL-12 levels were observed during the acute phase in 6 and 11 cases, respectively. Interestingly, although serum IFN-gamma levels diminished thereafter, in seven cases IL-12 levels remained high or increased further during the convalescent phase. In an additional 22 cases clinically suspected to be but not diagnosed as Legionella pneumonia, increases of serum IL-12 levels were observed in 16 cases, whereas the remaining 6 cases showed no detectable IL-12. Our results demonstrate the relative predominance of Th1 cytokine production in Legionella pneumonia. Although the role and significance of prolonged increases in IL-12 levels in Legionella disease are unknown, our results should prompt further investigation of the host immune response in terms of Th1 and Th2 balance in legionellosis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology, Toho University School of Medicine, 5-21-16 Ohmori-nishi, Ohta-ku, Tokyo 143, Japan. Phone: 81-3-3762-4151, ext. 2397. Fax: 81-3-5493-5415. E-mail address: kazu{at}sirius.med.toho-u.ac.jp.

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, May 1998, p. 401-403, Vol. 5, No. 3
1071-412X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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