Rheumatology‎ > ‎

Cytokin Storm Syndrome

Pathophysiology of cytokine storm

T cell effector subgroup in cytokine storm

Th1 and CTL are involved in host defense against viral infections
  • The impaired granule-mediated killing of tumor cells or infected cells by CTLs leads to cytokine storm leads to prolonged T cell activation and cytokine storm. 
  • Th17 that is involved in antifungal protection, if defective often leads to autoimmunity. It is invovled in cytokine storm not involving IFN. 

B cells are often not involved in a cytokine storms. However, effector B-cells depletion in treating HHV-8 associated castleman disease suggests B cell can either initiate or propagate the cytokine storm.