Affiliation:
1. Department of Biochemistry, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
2. Department of Dermatology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
Abstract
SUMMARY
Cigarette smoking has been associated with both increases in serum levels of total IgE and an increased risk of developing allergic-like symptoms. IL-4 and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) have reciprocal roles in the regulation of IgE synthesis, and as such prompted us to evaluate, in smokers, the production of these two cytokines. We demonstrate that phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-induced IL-4 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of smokers (n= 19) is significantly higher than that of non-smokers (n=10, p < 0·005). In addition, PBMC from heavy smokers, defined by the number of cigarettes smoked per day, produced significantly higher levels of IL-4 than those of light smokers. No difference between the groups was found for IFN-y production. Our data suggest an imbalance in cytokine production occurring in individuals who smoke. This imbalance, favouring IL-4 production, may be part of the mechanism responsible for the observed increases in serum IgE and allergic-like symptoms associated with cigarette smoking.
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Subject
Immunology,Immunology and Allergy
Cited by
126 articles.
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