Cytokine and hormone profile in pulmonary tuberculosis: Assessment of plasma levels of Adiponectin, IL-1β, C reactive protein (CRP), Neuropeptide Y (NPY), Glucagon and Insulin

SANTUCCI NATALIA; D'ATTILIO LUCIANO; BONGIOVANNI BETTINA; KOVALEVSKI LEANDRO; DÍDOLI GRISELDA; BAY MARÍA LUISA; BESEDOVSKY HUGO; DEL REY ADRIANA; BOTTASSO OSCAR

Buenos Aires

Congreso; I Franco-Argentine Immunology Congress (FAIC); 2010

Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología y Sociedad Francesa de Inmunología

The immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) plays a fundamental role in the outcome of the mycobacterial infection. The immune system reacts efficiently in most cases; although in 10 % of Mtb-infected people disease development is likely to occur throughout their lifetime. Communication between the neuroendocrine and immune systems is critical for maintaining physiological homeostasis and an adequate anti-Mtb response. In parallel, the adipose tissue exerts several endocrine functions and releases pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators, emerging as an important element in the regulation of many pathological processes. Considering that tuberculosis (TB) coexists with profound metabolic changes, partly reflected in the typical weight loss, we sought to analyze plasma levels of immuno-endocrine mediators playing a role both in disease immunopathology and metabolic changes. As such, 46 newly diagnosed patients with pulmonary TB (9 mild, 19 moderate, 18 severe), 22 household contacts -HHC- and 27healthy controls –HCo- (all of them HIV negative) were assessed for their plasma levels of Adiponectin, IL-1b, CRP, NPY, Glucagon and Insulin. Through a principal component analysis, patients were characterized by greater values of PCR, while Hco and HHC have higher values of BMI and Leptin. TB patients displayed higher levels of Adiponectin, CRP) and IL-1b respect to Hco and HHC. Comparison among TB patients showed an increase in Adiponectin, IL-1b, CRP and NPY concentrations with rising disease severity. Pairwise correlations showed a positive association between Leptin and Insulin in HCo and HHC. Present results are compatible with a deregulated defensive response moving from a Th1 profile to a “less inflammatory” one as TB progresses in presence of an endocrine response inefficient to assure a favourable metabolic balance, altogether favouring disease aggravation.