[Serum gamma interferon levels in relation to tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 2 receptor in patients with Kawasaki disease involving coronary-artery lesions]

Abstract

Serum levels of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) were determined by a sandwich radioimmunoassay in 45 patients with Kawasaki disease (KD), 14 with measles, 3 with streptococcal infection, 17 with anaphylactoid purpura, 6 with various vasculitis and also in 10 healthy children. Serum levels of IFN-gamma were seen to increase during the acute phase of KD and measles. In addition, serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R) were measured simultaneously in 45 patients with KD. In KD patients with coronary-artery lesions (CAL), the percentage of positive cases for TNF (greater than or equal to 10 units/ml), IL-2R (greater than or equal to 1056 units/ml) and IFN-gamma (greater than or equal to 0.3 units/ml) was higher than that in patients without CAL. Several cytokines in association with activated monocytes/macrophages and T lymphocytes were detected in the serum during acute KD. These results suggest that aggressive activation of immuno-competent cells develops in KD involved CAL.