mRNA expression of alpha and beta isoforms of glucocorticoid receptor 3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with tuberculosis 4 and its relation with components of the immunoendocrine response

DATTLIO LUCIANO; TRINI ERNESTO; BONGIOVANNI BETTINA; DÍDOLI GRISELDA; GARDEÑEZ WALTER; NANNINI LUIS; GIRI ADRIANA; BOTTASSO OSCAR; BAY MARÍA LUISA

BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Lugar: San Diego; Año: 2011 vol. 25 p. 461 - 467

0889-1591

We have analyzed the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) isoforms by real time RT-qPCR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 19 controls (HCo) and TB patients (8 mild; 12 moderate; 8 severe), HIV(-) and similar sex and age distribution. mRNA hGRa/b ratios were found higher in TB patients respect to those in HCo. However, when analyzing for disease severity such overall trend was at the expense of mild and moderate patients, with severe cases showing a lower mRNA hGRa/b ratio with respect to the other patient groups. This suggested some degree of resistance to endogenous glucocorticoids in patients with severe TB, since hGRaa dimer mediates the biological functions of GC, with the GRb isoform acting as an inhibitor of GC activity. Levels of IL-6, IL-18, IFN-g and Cortisol were significantly increased in severe and moderate cases, whereas DHEA values were found decreased in them (p