Investigative ophthalmology & visual science
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Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. · May 1998
Increased frequencies of interleukin-2- and interferon-gamma-producing T cells in patients with active Behçet's disease.
To elucidate the profile of cytokine-producing T cells in patients with active or inactive Behçet's disease (BD), the frequencies of type 1 (Interleukin- [IL] 2, interferon-gamma [IFN-gamma]) and type 2 (IL-4) cytokine-producing CD4+ and CD8+ cells in peripheral blood were investigated, and the effect of immunosuppressive drugs on the profile of cytokine-producing cells was evaluated. ⋯ The frequencies of type 1 cytokine-producing CD4+ and CD8+ cells increased in patients with active BD. Effective immunosuppressive treatments decreased the population of type 1 cytokine-producing CD4+ and CD8+ cells. These results suggest that type 1 cytokine-producing cells play an important role in the immunopathogenesis of the inflammation in BD.