In vitro synthesis of interferon-?, interleukin-4, transforming growth factor-ß, and interleukin 1-ß by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from tuberculosis patients. Relationship with the severity of pulmonary involvement.

DLUGOVITZKY D; BAY ML; RATENI L; URIZAR L; RONDELLI F; LARGACHA C; FARRONI M; MOLTENI O; BOTTASSO O; BOTTASSO OSCAR

SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Oslo; Año: 1999 vol. 49 p. 210 - 217

0300-9475

Giventhat T-cell-mediated immune responses play a central role in the resistanceagainst mycobacteria, we further explored the relation between the severity ofpulmonary TB with lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production, upon in vitro stimulation of peripheral bloodmononuclear cells (PBMCs) with M.tuberculosis antigens. Besides evaluating Th1- and Th2-cell type cytokines(IFN-g and IL-4, respectively), we also analysed the in vitro synthesis of two othercytokines that are likely involved in TB immunopathogenesis, transforminggrowth factor beta (TGF-b) and IL-1b [33]. PBMCs from patients with mild TBpreferentially produce IFN-g over IL-4, show the highest increment of IFN-g synthesis upon specific antigen stimulation, andincreased levels of IL-1b production; this finding is in line with thedemonstration that IFN-g stimulates IL-1 synthesis by macrophages [34].Patients with moderate TB display a mixed production of IFN-g and IL-4, coexisting with an increased synthesisof TGF-b when compared to mild cases. PBMCs from patientswith advanced disease, in turn, produce the highest concentration of IL-4 andTGF-b, with IFN-g synthesis readily noticeable, yet decreased incomparison to the other groups of patients.