Differential spontaneous expression of mRNA for IL‐4, IL‐10, IL‐13, IL‐2 and interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from atopic patients

Distinct cytokine‐producing T cell subsets are well known to play a major role in IgE production and to be differentially regulated in allergic patients, although the characterization of the type 1/type 2 cytokine pattern in PBMC during allergic responses remains to be clearly defined. The aim of this study was to determine whether different cytokine profiles are observed directly in PBMC of atopic donors. We attempted to study several cytokines (IL‐2, IFN‐γ, IL‐4, IL‐10 and IL‐13) using not only ELISA but also polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques, because the frequency of cytokine‐producing cells in peripheral blood is very low. All the patients were selected during their acute symptomatologic phase. Data showed a significantly higher production of IL‐4 (P=0.05) and IL‐10 (P