In vitro responsiveness to IL-18 in combination with IL-12 or IL-2 by PBMC from patients with bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis

Interleukin (IL)-18 is a proinflammatory cytokine and is now recognized as an important regulator of both helper T cells (Th) 1 and 2 cytokine production. An increased IL-18 secretion has been reported in patients with allergic disorders. It is predominantly produced by activated macrophages, and synergizes with IL-12 and IL-2 to induce IFN-γ synthesis, thereby promoting Th1 cytokine response. Paradoxically, IL-18, by itself, strongly induces immunoglobulin (Ig) E and allergic inflammation, indicating a role for IL-18 in promoting Th2 response. We investigated the inducing effect in vitro of combining IL-18 and Il-12 or Il-2 on Th1- and Th2-type cytokines production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with allergic diseases. PBMC derived from 44 allergic patients [23 bronchial asthma (BA) and 21 atopic dermatitis (AD)] and 20 healthy controls were cultured with IL-18 in the presence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and IL-12 or IL-2. The levels of IFN-γ, IL-13, and IL-4 in the culture supernatants were measured using enzymatic immunoassaying. IFN-γ production was detected in all cultures from nonallergic controls stimulated with IL-18 in the presence of IL-12; however, the results for five BA patients and five AD patients were under the detection limit for IFN-γ. In collaboration with IL-2, IL-18 was able to induce IFN-γ production by PBMCs from all nonallergic controls and all allergic patients, with the exception of one AD patient. Synergistic induction of IL-13 production was found in cultures with IL-18 + IL-2, and the IL-13 induction was significantly increased in BA patients when compared with that in nonallergic controls (P = 0.006). The stimulation by IL-18, even in combination with IL-2, failed to induce IL-4 production by PBMC from both nonallergic controls and allergic patients. Although the induction of IFN-γ by IL-18 + IL-12 was impaired in around a quarter of the allergic patients, the impairment of the IFN-γ production was completely restored by IL-2 in the presence of IL-18. Thus, IL-18 enhances IFN-γ production through an IL-12-dependent pathway and exhibits synergism when combined with IL-2 in terms of enhanced IL-13 and IFN-γ production, suggesting the involvement of IL-18/IL-12/IL-2 pathway in modulating Th1/Th2 cytokine response.