The implication of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the impaired production of gonadal androgens by patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

BINI ESTELA ISABEL; D'ATTILIO LUCIANO DAVID,

Tuberculosis (Edinb)

CHURCHILL LIVINGSTONE

Lugar: ESCOCIA; Año: 2015 vol. 95 p. 701 - 706

1472-9792

Background: The chronic nature of tuberculosis and the protracted immuno-inflammatory reactions are implied in a series of metabolic and immune-endocrine changes accompanying the disease. We explored components from the hypothalamous-pituitary-gonadal axis and their relationship with cytokines involved in disease immunopathology, in male TB patients. Methods: Plasma samples from 36 active untreated pulmonary TB male patients were used to determine TNF-a, IFN-g, TGF-b, IL-6, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, testosterone, progesterone, estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by ELISA. Healthy controls corresponded to 21 volunteers without contact with TB patients and similar age (40 ± 16,8 years). Testicular histological samples from necropsies of patients dying from TB were immune-stained for IL-1b, TNF-a, IL-6 and IFNg. The TM3 mouse Leydig cell line was incubated with recombinants TNF-a, IFN-g and TGF-b, supernatants were collected and used to measure testosterone by ELISA. Results: Patients showed decreased levels of testosterone in presence of high amounts of LH, together with augmented IFN-g, IL-6 and TGF-b levels. Testicular histological sections showed abundant presence of IL-1b, TNF-a, IL-6 and IFN-g in interstitial macrophages, Sertoli cells and some spermatogonia. In vitro treatment of Leydig cells with these cytokines led to a remarkable reduction of testosterone production.