Palamaro L, Giardino G, Santamaria F, Romano R, Fusco A, Montella S, Salerno M, Ursini MV, Pignata C. Interleukin 12 receptor deficiency in a child with recurrent bronchopneumonia and very high IgE levels.
Ital J Pediatr 2012;
38:46. [PMID:
22992471 PMCID:
PMC3485094 DOI:
10.1186/1824-7288-38-46]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2012] [Accepted: 09/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is involved in cellular immune responses against intracellular pathogens by promoting the generation of T naive in T helper 1 (Th1) cells and by increasing interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production from T and natural killer (NK) cells. A defective induction of a Th1 response may lead to a higher risk of infections, and, in particular, infections due to typical and atypical Mycobacteria. We report on the case of a girl with suffering from recurrent bronchopneumonia associated with very high serum IgE levels, who exhibited a profound impairment of the Th1 generation associated with a novel mutation in the exon 5 of the IL-12R β1 gene (R156H). Our data suggest that in children with severe and recurrent infections, even in the absence of a mycobacterial infection, functional and/or genetic alterations of the molecular mechanisms governing Th1/Th2 homeostasis might be responsible for an atypical immunodeficiency and, therefore, should be investigated in these patients.
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