Evidence For Th1/2/17 Cytokine Involvement In Pigeon Fanciers' Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (hp)

Introduction The immuno-pathogenesis of HP is unresolved. Serum antibody appears to be necessary but insufficient for disease. Murine models suggest that HP is primarily a disease of T-helper (h)1 lymphocyte subset function (Matsuno Y, Ishii Y, 2007) that is dependent on interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon(IFN)γ cytokine activity (Gudmundsson G, Monick MM, 1998). Recently Th17 family cytokines have also been associated with experimental HP (Simonian PL, Roark CL, 2009). The contribution of these cytokines to HP is unresolved. Aim and Methods In order to determine the association between Th1/2/17 and symptoms in pigeon fanciers’ HP we quantified the serum and lymphocyte production of IL-1b, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A/F, IL-22, TNFα, IFNγ and GM-CSF, and compared these with immunological sensitisation assessed by serum IgG and lymphocyte responses to avian antigens and with recorded symptoms after avian antigen exposure in 45 pigeon fanciers. Cytokines and antibody activity were quantified by enzyme immunoassay. Results Symptom categories typical of HP were identified by cluster analysis and were associated with serum antibody but not with serum cytokines. Antigen-specific lymphocyte responses were predominantly associated with in vitro production of IL-10, GM-CSF and IFNγ (p