Title
Cytokine gene expression and protein production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of children with acute dengue virus infections
GSBS Program
Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology
UMMS Affiliation
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research
Date
3-29-2002
Document Type
Article
Medical Subject Headings
Acute Disease; Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Cytokines; Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever; Female; Fever; *Gene Expression; Humans; Infant; Interleukin-2; Interleukin-4; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Lymphotoxin-alpha; Male; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Disciplines
Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences
Abstract
Plasma leakage in dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is associated with elevated plasma levels of cytokines. To define further the contribution of immune activation to DHF and the source of cytokines, we analyzed the production of cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from children with dengue, using RT-PCR and immunostaining. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and TNF-beta expression was detected in all samples by PCR and in < 50% of samples by immunostaining. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) expression was detected in < 50% of samples by either method. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-4 expression was detected in a few samples by immunostaining but was not detectable by PCR. We found greater expression of TNF-alpha and IL-4 in DHF than in dengue fever or other (non-dengue) febrile illnesses. These results support the model of immunopathogenesis of DHF. However, low levels of cytokine expression in PBMC suggest that cellular activation in tissues may contribute to high serum cytokine levels in DHF.
Rights and Permissions
Citation: J Med Virol. 2002 May;67(1):41-6.