Diminished production of T helper 1 cytokines correlates with T cell unresponsiveness to Brucella cytoplasmic proteins in chronic human brucellosis

GIAMBARTOLOMEI, GUIILERMO HERNAN; VICTORIA DELPINO, MARIA; E CAHANOVICH, MARIELA; CARLOS WALLACH, JORGE; CESAR BALDI, PABLO; ALEJANDRO VELIKOVSKY, CARLOS; ALBERTO FOSSATI, CARLOS; GUILLERMO H. GIAMBARTOLOMEI

JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

UNIV CHICAGO PRESS

Lugar: Chicago; Año: 2002 vol. 186 p. 252 - 259

0022-1899

A study was conducted to evaluate the cellular immune response against Brucella cytoplasmic proteins (CP) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 25 patients with brucellosis. In vitro proliferation and cytokine gene expression and production were investigated. PBMCs from 14 patients proliferated in response to CP (responder patients, RP) and cells from 11 patients did not (nonresponder patients, NRP). CP-specific interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-g were significantly induced in PBMCs from RP when compared with cells from NRP. No significant differences were found in the production of IL-10 between the two groups. CP did not induce IL-4 production. A close relationship between the clinical status of the patients and the T cell response against CP was observed. Acute patients responded to CP and induced the production of Th1 cytokines, whereas chronic ones did not. The results show that diminished production of Th1 cytokines may contribute to T-cell unresponsiveness in chronic human brucellosis