title: Evaluation of phagocyte functions, inflammatory lymphokine activities and in vitro antibody synthesis in patients with active and chronic pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: In fourteen patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TBC) (seven active and seven chronic cases) non-specific immunity and B cell function were evaluated. Polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) and monocyte chemotaxis, phagocytosis and killing were depressed to a different extent regardless of the disease status. Additionally, determination of lymphocyte-derived chemotactic factor and leukocyte inhibitory factor activities indicated a reduced production of these two lymphokines. This may also explain the impairment of phagocyte functions. Furthermore, the frequency of T cell subsets was slightly modified except for the increased number of CD25+ cells. The in vitro antibody response was analysed in a plaque-forming cell system using pokeweed mitogen (PWM) as a polyclonal activator and purified protein derivative (PPD) as a specific antigen. Results show that in patients with active TBC the anti-PPD antibody response was markedly enhanced, while in both groups of patients PWM-induced antibody synthesis was normal. These findings indicate several immune deficiencies related to phase activity which occur during the course of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Patologia Medica, University of Bari Medical Faculty, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antonaci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jirillo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polignano
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sabato
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonomo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019744:Chemokines, C; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D019744:Chemokines, C; D008222:Lymphokines; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; C092390:XCL1 protein, human; C010598:leukocyte inhibitory factor; C018997:lymphotactin