Specific cytokine patterns of pulmonary tuberculosis in Central Africa

• Published in: Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.) Fla.), 2011-01, Vol.138 (1), p.50-59
• Main Authors: Nemeth, Johannes, Winkler, Heide-Maria, Boeck, Lucas, Adegnika, Ayola A, Clement, Ella, Mve, Toung M, Kremsner, Peter G, Winkler, Stefan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Allergy and Immunology; Antigens, Bacterial - immunology; Antigens, Bacterial - pharmacology; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the respiratory system; Bacterial Proteins - immunology; Bacterial Proteins - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Body Temperature; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - cytology; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - cytology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Cell Count; Cytokines; Cytokines - blood; Cytokines - metabolism; Female; Forkhead Transcription Factors - genetics; Forkhead Transcription Factors - metabolism; FoxP3; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Gabon; Gene Expression - drug effects; Gene Expression - genetics; Hemoglobins - metabolism; Human bacterial diseases; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infectious diseases; Interferon-gamma - blood; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Interleukin-10 - blood; Interleukin-10 - metabolism; Interleukin-2 - metabolism; Interleukin-6 - blood; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - drug effects; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; T cell; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - cytology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - drug effects; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; Transforming Growth Factor beta - blood; Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism; Tuberculin - immunology; Tuberculin - pharmacology; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - blood; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - immunology; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - metabolism; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1521-6616; 1521-7035
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2010.09.005

Abstract Different cytokines have been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). The frequencies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, CD4+ CD25+ Forkhead Box Protein (FoxP)3+ T cells, interleukin (IL)-6, interferon (IFN)-γ, Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and IL-10 were assessed in HIV-negative, pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients ( n = 30) and in healthy controls ( n = 23) in Gabon. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated with purified protein derivative (PPD) and early secretory antigenic target-6 (ESAT-6). In patients, a pronounced pro-inflammatory cytokine response with highly significant increased levels of IL-6 and TNF-α accompanied by increased TGF-β was detectable. Differences in IFN-γ responses between patients and healthy individuals were less pronounced than expected. FoxP3 expression did not differ between groups. A distinct cytokine pattern is associated with active pulmonary TB in patients from Central Africa.