Production of interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor beta by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in Q fever endocarditis.
The pathophysiology of Q fever endocarditis is characterized by the suppression of antigen-specific cell-mediated immune responses. We investigated the production of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), known to interfere with the development of protective cell immunity. IL-10 was markedly released by unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with Q fever endocarditis. This release resulted from the upregulation of IL-10 gene transcription. Similarly, the release of TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2 was significantly higher in patient PBMC than in control cells, but the expression of their respective mRNA was not enhanced in patient cells. In contrast, lipopolysaccharide-stimulated transcription and release of IL-10 and TGF-beta were similar in patients and controls. The release of IL-10 by PBMC but not that of TGF-beta was correlated with the clinical status of the patients. First, IL-10 production was correlated with specific antibody levels. Second, IL-10 release remained elevated in patients prone to relapse. Taken together, our results suggest that the release of IL-10 and TGF-beta is upregulated in Q fever endocarditis. IL-10 might be considered as a marker of disease relapses and might be instrumental in monitoring the efficiency of the treatment.
Capo
C
C
Unité des Rickettsies, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UPRES A, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France.
Zaffran
Y
Y
Zugun
F
F
Houpikian
P
P
Raoult
D
D
Mege
J L
JL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011778:Q Fever / Q000276:immunology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016753:Interleukin-10