Increased serum interleukin-18 in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia

Atsushi Ogata; Masayasu Kitano; Maki Fukamizu; Teruaki Hamano; Hajime Sano

doi:10.1007/s10165-004-0306-5

Increased serum interleukin-18 in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia

Mod Rheumatol. 2004;14(3):267-70. doi: 10.1007/s10165-004-0306-5.

Authors

Atsushi Ogata¹, Masayasu Kitano, Maki Fukamizu, Teruaki Hamano, Hajime Sano

Affiliation

¹ Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya 663-8131, Japan. a-ogata@hyo-med.ac.jp

PMID: 17143689
DOI: 10.1007/s10165-004-0306-5

Abstract

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a potent cofactor for T-helper (Th-1) cell development and inducer of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), and is reported to contribute to autoimmune diseases. T-cell large granular lymphocyte (T-LGL) leukemia involves the proliferation of autoreactive CTL that is often associated with autoimmune disorders. We found increased serum IL-18 concentrations in a 55-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and T-LGL-leukemia. Her serum IL-18 concentrations correlated with the intensity of her SLE symptoms and the number of T-LGL cells in peripheral blood. This evidence suggests that IL-18 is involved in T-LGL-related autoimmune disorders.