Alterations of cell-mediated immune response in children with febrile seizures

Montelli, Terezinha C.B.; Soares, Angela M.V.C.; Parise-Fortes, Maria R.; Rezkallah-Iwasso, Maria T.; Padula, Niura M.R.; Peraçoli, Maria Terezinha S.

doi:10.1590/S0004-282X1997000200005

Abstracts

The aim of the present investigation was to study the distribution of T-cell subsets in peripheral blood defined by monoclonal antibodies and by the lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin (PH A) in 30 children with febrile seizures and in 14 age-matched control subjects. Frequent respiratory, urinary and dermatologic infections were observed in 22 patients. The immunologic parameters showed that 64% of the patients presented an increased number of CD8+ cells and a low helper/suppressor ratio was observed in 60% of the patients. In addition, the proliferative response of lymphocytes to PHA was impaired in the patients. It was observed the presence of inhibitory activity on lymphocyte function in the plasma of 33% of children with febrile seizures. These results suggest that patients with febrile seizures have an impairment of cellular immunity that may be connected with this epileptic syndrome and explain the infections observed.

febrile seizures; infections; T cell subsets; lymphocyte proliferative response

O objetivo da presente investigação foi estudar a distribuição das subpopulações de células T por meio de anticorpos monoclonais e a resposta proliferativa de linfócitos em resposta a fito-hemaglutinina (PHA) em 30 crianças portadoras de convulsão febril e em 14 crianças saudáveis de mesma faixa etária dos pacientes. Infecções respiratórias, urinárias e dermatológicas frequentes foram observadas em 22 pacientes. Os parâmetros imunológicos demonstraram que 64% dos pacientes apresentaram valores elevados de células CD8+. Diminuição da relação de células CD4/CD8 foi observada em 60% dos pacientes. Além disso, a resposta proliferativa de linfócitos frente a PHA apresentou-se deprimida nos pacientes. Foi observada a presença de atividade inibidora da função de linfócitos no plasma de 33% das crianças com convulsão febril. Esses resultados sugerem que pacientes com convulsão febril apresentam depressão da resposta imune celular que poderia implicar em associação patogênica com esta síndrome epiléptica e explicar as infeções observadas.

convulsão febril; infecções; subpopulações de linfócitos T; resposta proliferativa de linfócitos

Alterations of cell-mediated immune response in children with febrile seizures

Alterações da resposta imune celular em crianças portadoras de convulsão febril

Terezinha C.B. Montelli^I; Angela M.V.C. Soares^II; Maria R. Parise-Fortes^II; Maria T. Rezkallah-Iwasso^II; Niura M.R. Padula^I; Maria Terezinha S. Peraçoli^II

^IDepartment of Neurology and Psychiatry, School of Medicine

^IIDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biosciences (IB), State University of São Paulo (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present investigation was to study the distribution of T-cell subsets in peripheral blood defined by monoclonal antibodies and by the lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin (PH A) in 30 children with febrile seizures and in 14 age-matched control subjects. Frequent respiratory, urinary and dermatologic infections were observed in 22 patients. The immunologic parameters showed that 64% of the patients presented an increased number of CD8+ cells and a low helper/suppressor ratio was observed in 60% of the patients. In addition, the proliferative response of lymphocytes to PHA was impaired in the patients. It was observed the presence of inhibitory activity on lymphocyte function in the plasma of 33% of children with febrile seizures. These results suggest that patients with febrile seizures have an impairment of cellular immunity that may be connected with this epileptic syndrome and explain the infections observed.

Key words: febrile seizures, infections, T cell subsets, lymphocyte proliferative response.

RESUMO

O objetivo da presente investigação foi estudar a distribuição das subpopulações de células T por meio de anticorpos monoclonais e a resposta proliferativa de linfócitos em resposta a fito-hemaglutinina (PHA) em 30 crianças portadoras de convulsão febril e em 14 crianças saudáveis de mesma faixa etária dos pacientes. Infecções respiratórias, urinárias e dermatológicas frequentes foram observadas em 22 pacientes. Os parâmetros imunológicos demonstraram que 64% dos pacientes apresentaram valores elevados de células CD8+. Diminuição da relação de células CD4/CD8 foi observada em 60% dos pacientes. Além disso, a resposta proliferativa de linfócitos frente a PHA apresentou-se deprimida nos pacientes. Foi observada a presença de atividade inibidora da função de linfócitos no plasma de 33% das crianças com convulsão febril. Esses resultados sugerem que pacientes com convulsão febril apresentam depressão da resposta imune celular que poderia implicar em associação patogênica com esta síndrome epiléptica e explicar as infeções observadas.

Palavras-chave: convulsão febril, infecções, subpopulações de linfócitos T, resposta proliferativa de linfócitos.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are grateful to Mis Maria Antonia M. Palma for technical assistance and to Mrs Sonia Maria Faraldo for typing the manuscript.

Aceite: 27-janeiro-1997.

Dra Terezinha C. B. Montelli - Department of Microbiology and Immunology, IB-UNESP, 18618-000 Botucatu SP -Brasil. FAX 014 821 3744.

1. Ader R. On the clinical relevance of psychoneuroimmunology. Clin Immunol Immunopathol 1992,64:6-8.
2. Baraitser M. Relevance of a family history of seizures. Arch Dis Child 1983,58:404-405.
3. Consensus Statement: Febrile Seizures: Long-term management of children with fever-associated seizures. Pediatrics 1980:66:1009-1012.
4. Dantzer R. Kelley KW. Stress and immunity: an integrated view of the relationship between the brain and the immune system. Life Sci 1989;44:1995-2008.
5. Eeg-Olofsson O. Osterland CK, Guttman RD, Andermann F, Pichal JF, Andermann E, Jangua NA. Immunological studies in focal epilepsy. Acta Neurol Scand 1988;78:358-368.
6. Eeg-Olofsson O. Prchal JF. Andermann F. Abnormalities of T-lymphocyte subsets in epileptic patients. Acta Neurol Scand 1985:72:140-144.
7. Hirtz DG. Generalized tonic-clonic and febrile seizures. Ped Clin North Am 1989;36:365-383.
8. Hirtz DG, Nelson KB, Ellenberg JH. Seizures following childhood immunizations. J Pediat 1983; 120:14-18.
9. Johnson HM, Torres BA. Regulation of lymphoid ne production by arginine vasopressin and oxytocin: modulation of lymphocyte function by neurohypophyseal hormones. J Immunol 1985;135:773s-775s.
10. Khansari DN, Murgo A.I. Faith RE. Effects of stress on the immune system. Immunol Today 1990; 11:170-175.
11. Lewis HM, Parry .JV, Parry RP, Davies A, Sanderson PJ, Tyrrell DAJ, Valman HB. Role of viruses in febrile convulsions. Arch Dis Child 1979;54:869-876.
12. Montelli TCB. Mota NGS, Peraçoli MTS, Torres EA, Rezkallah-Iwasso MT. Immunological disturbances in West and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 1984;42:132-139.
13. Montelli TCB, Peraçoli MTS, Soares AMVC, Rezkallah-Iwasso MT, Parise-Fortes MR, Alquati SAB, Medeiros P, De Lucca E. Sensibilidade mutagênica, atividade de células natural killer e distribuição de subpopulações de linfócitos Tem pacientes com síndrome de West: resultados preliminares. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 1992;50(Suppl): 115.
14. Montelli TCB, Rezkallah-Iwasso MT, Peraçoli MTS, Mota NGS. Imunologic disturbance in West and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes and in cpilcpy with independent multifocal spikes. Cleveland Clin J Med 1989;56:S-285.
15. Munck A, Guyre PM, Hollbrook NJ. Physiological functions of glucocorticoid actions. Endocrinol Rev 1984;5:25-44.
16. Musalti CC, Rezkallah-Iwasso MT, Mendes E, Mendes NF. In vivo and in vitro evaluation of cell-mediated immunity in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. Cell Immunol 1976;24:365-378.
17. Nelson KB, Ellenberg JH. Prognosis in children with febrile seizures. Pediatrics 1978;61:720-727.
18. Querfurth H, Swanson P. Vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis. Arch Neurol 1990;4:541-544.
19. Sakano T, Kittaka E, Tanaka Y, Yamaoka H, Kobayashi Y, Usui T. Vaccine-associated poliomyelitis. Acta Pediatr Scand 1980;69:545-551.
20. Seager J, Wilson J, Jamilson DZ, Hayard MR, Loothil JF. IgA deficiency, epilepsy and phenytoin treatment. Lancet 1975;2:632-635.
21. Sell S. The immune response. In: Sell S. (ed): Immunology, Immunopathology and Immunity, New York: Elsevier: 1987; 199-233.
22. Tartara A, Verri AP, Nespoli L, Moglia A, Botta MG. Immunological findings in epileptic and febrile convulsion patients before and under treatment. Eur Neurol 1981,20:306-311.
23. Van Voorhis WC, Hair LS, Steinman RM, Kaplan G. Human dendritic cells: enrichment and characterization from peripheral blood. J Exp Med 1980; 155:1172-1187.
24. Wright PF. Hatch MH, Kasselberg AG, Lowry SA, Wadlington WB, Karzon DT. Vaccine-associated poliomyelitis in a child with sex linked agammaglobulinemia. J Pediat 1977;91:408-412.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
10 Nov 2010
Date of issue
June 1997

History

Received
27 Jan 1997

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] 1. Ader R. On the clinical relevance of psychoneuroimmunology. Clin Immunol Immunopathol 1992,64:6-8.

[2] 2. Baraitser M. Relevance of a family history of seizures. Arch Dis Child 1983,58:404-405.

[3] 3. Consensus Statement: Febrile Seizures: Long-term management of children with fever-associated seizures. Pediatrics 1980:66:1009-1012.

[4] 4. Dantzer R. Kelley KW. Stress and immunity: an integrated view of the relationship between the brain and the immune system. Life Sci 1989;44:1995-2008.

[5] 5. Eeg-Olofsson O. Osterland CK, Guttman RD, Andermann F, Pichal JF, Andermann E, Jangua NA. Immunological studies in focal epilepsy. Acta Neurol Scand 1988;78:358-368.

[6] 6. Eeg-Olofsson O. Prchal JF. Andermann F. Abnormalities of T-lymphocyte subsets in epileptic patients. Acta Neurol Scand 1985:72:140-144.

[7] 7. Hirtz DG. Generalized tonic-clonic and febrile seizures. Ped Clin North Am 1989;36:365-383.

[8] 8. Hirtz DG, Nelson KB, Ellenberg JH. Seizures following childhood immunizations. J Pediat 1983; 120:14-18.

[9] 9. Johnson HM, Torres BA. Regulation of lymphoid ne production by arginine vasopressin and oxytocin: modulation of lymphocyte function by neurohypophyseal hormones. J Immunol 1985;135:773s-775s.

[10] 10. Khansari DN, Murgo A.I. Faith RE. Effects of stress on the immune system. Immunol Today 1990; 11:170-175.

[11] 11. Lewis HM, Parry .JV, Parry RP, Davies A, Sanderson PJ, Tyrrell DAJ, Valman HB. Role of viruses in febrile convulsions. Arch Dis Child 1979;54:869-876.

[12] 12. Montelli TCB. Mota NGS, Peraçoli MTS, Torres EA, Rezkallah-Iwasso MT. Immunological disturbances in West and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 1984;42:132-139.

[13] 13. Montelli TCB, Peraçoli MTS, Soares AMVC, Rezkallah-Iwasso MT, Parise-Fortes MR, Alquati SAB, Medeiros P, De Lucca E. Sensibilidade mutagênica, atividade de células natural killer e distribuição de subpopulações de linfócitos Tem pacientes com síndrome de West: resultados preliminares. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 1992;50(Suppl): 115.

[14] 14. Montelli TCB, Rezkallah-Iwasso MT, Peraçoli MTS, Mota NGS. Imunologic disturbance in West and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes and in cpilcpy with independent multifocal spikes. Cleveland Clin J Med 1989;56:S-285.

[15] 15. Munck A, Guyre PM, Hollbrook NJ. Physiological functions of glucocorticoid actions. Endocrinol Rev 1984;5:25-44.

[16] 16. Musalti CC, Rezkallah-Iwasso MT, Mendes E, Mendes NF. In vivo and in vitro evaluation of cell-mediated immunity in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. Cell Immunol 1976;24:365-378.

[17] 17. Nelson KB, Ellenberg JH. Prognosis in children with febrile seizures. Pediatrics 1978;61:720-727.

[18] 18. Querfurth H, Swanson P. Vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis. Arch Neurol 1990;4:541-544.

[19] 19. Sakano T, Kittaka E, Tanaka Y, Yamaoka H, Kobayashi Y, Usui T. Vaccine-associated poliomyelitis. Acta Pediatr Scand 1980;69:545-551.

[20] 20. Seager J, Wilson J, Jamilson DZ, Hayard MR, Loothil JF. IgA deficiency, epilepsy and phenytoin treatment. Lancet 1975;2:632-635.

[21] 21. Sell S. The immune response. In: Sell S. (ed): Immunology, Immunopathology and Immunity, New York: Elsevier: 1987; 199-233.

[22] 22. Tartara A, Verri AP, Nespoli L, Moglia A, Botta MG. Immunological findings in epileptic and febrile convulsion patients before and under treatment. Eur Neurol 1981,20:306-311.

[23] 23. Van Voorhis WC, Hair LS, Steinman RM, Kaplan G. Human dendritic cells: enrichment and characterization from peripheral blood. J Exp Med 1980; 155:1172-1187.

[24] 24. Wright PF. Hatch MH, Kasselberg AG, Lowry SA, Wadlington WB, Karzon DT. Vaccine-associated poliomyelitis in a child with sex linked agammaglobulinemia. J Pediat 1977;91:408-412.