title: Aspergillus fumigatus conidia induce a Th1-type cytokine response.
abstract: The response of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) to Aspergillus fumigatus in vitro was evaluated. In studies of the proliferative response of MNC from 18 healthy donors to heat-killed A. fumigatus conidia, 15 displayed a significant response, with a stimulation index (SI) between 4 and 193. In contrast, all donors displayed a positive response to Candida albicans blastoconidia (SI ranged from 10 to 224). Despite the variability in reactivity to A. fumigatus conidia, the response of a particular individual was stable when retested over periods of 1-2 weeks. Supernatant from cocultures of A. fumigatus conidia with MNC contained increased levels of interferon-gamma, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin (IL)-2, compared with unstimulated cells, but not IL-10 or IL-4. In addition, A. fumigatus induced lymphocyte surface expression of adhesion/activation-associated molecules. These results suggest that lymphocytes may contribute to host defense against Aspergillus by generating a Th1-type response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Center for the Study of Emerging and Reemerging Pathogens, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, USA.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Grazziutti
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Rex
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Cowart
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Anaissie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Savary
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000276:immunology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D016207:Cytokines; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor