Vol.21 No.1

Case Report

Churg-Strauss syndrome associated with elevated levels of serum interleukin-5 and T cell receptor-Cβ gene rearrangement

Authors

Yoshiro Horai1 , Tomoya Miyamura1 , Soichiro Takahama1 , Akie Hirata1 , Masataka Nakamura1 , Hitoshi Ando1 , Rumi Minami1 , Masahiro Yamamoto1 , Eiichi Suematsu1

  • Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Clinical Research Institute, National Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical Center
Received:

24 February 2010

Accepted:

5 July 2010

Published online:

4 August 2010

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Abstract

A 58-year-old woman was diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) based on the symptoms of bronchial asthma, eosinophilia, mononeuritis multiplex and histological examination of the right sural nerve. Prior to treatment, the serum interleukin (IL)-5 level was high, and rearrangement of the T cell receptor (TCR) gene was identified. This is the first report of TCR gene rearrangement in a patient with CSS. The expanded T cell clone may be responsible for the overproduction of IL-5. Further studies are warranted to disclose a prevalence of TCR gene rearrangement in CSS patients and its pathophysiological roles in the development of this disease.

Key words

Churg-Strauss syndrome - T cell receptor - Gene rearrangement - Interleukin-5