Depression of Both Interferon-$\gamma$ and Tumor Necrosis Factor-$\alpha$ Production by Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Chronic Refractory Tuberculosis Patients

• Published in: Journal of bacteriology and virology Vol. 32; no. 4; pp. 393 - 400
• Main Authors: Lee, Ji-Sook, Lee, So-Hyun, Song, Chang-Hwa, Lim, Jae-Hyun, Kim, Hwa-Jung, Park, Jeong-Kyu, Paik, Tae-Hyun, Kim, Chul-Hee, Kong, Suck-Jun, Shon, Mal-Hyun, Jo, Eun-Kyeong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2002
• Subjects: Interferon-gamma; Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Interleukin-10; Interleukin-12
• ISSN: 1598-2467; 2093-0429

Understanding human immune responses in chronic refractory tuberculosis (CRTB) is important for developing immunotherapy against the disease. the aim of this study was to examine cytokine responses [interferon (IFN)-$\gamma$, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$, interleukirl (IL)-6, and IL-10] by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in CRTB patients after in vitro stimulation with the 30-kDa or purified protein derivative (PPD) antigen (Ag). Most of the CRTB cases were multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB. The results were compared with those from early TB (E-TB) patients and healthy tuberculin reactors (HTR). IFN-$\gamma$ production was significantly depressed in both CRTB and E-TB groups compared with HTR. In response to the 30-kDa Ag, TNF-$\alpha$ levels were significantly depressed only in CRTB patients, while greatly increased in E-TB patients. In addition, IL-10 production was significantly increased in E-TB patients, and PBMC from both E-TB and CRTB patients secreted more IL-6 than HTR. IL-10 neutralization significantly increased TNF-$\alpha$ levels, whereas anti-TNF-$\alpha$ did not alter IL-10 induction significantly in PBMC from HTR and CRTB patients. Our findings suggest that CRTB patients have depression in both IFN-$\gamma$ and TNF-$\alpha$ reponses, which might play important roles during chronic M. tuberculosis infection.