title: Spontaneous apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of leprosy patients: role of cytokines.
abstract: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from leprosy patients underwent spontaneous apoptosis upon culture for 24 h. The apoptosis was inhibited by anti-TNFalpha antibodies and to a certain extent by anti-IL-1alpha and IL-6, thus showing that T(H)2-type cytokines (mainly TNFalpha) are responsible for inducing apoptosis. This cytokine-mediated apoptosis could be inhibited by ionomycin and zinc, thereby suggesting that these metal ions can be used to decrease the levels of these inflammatory cytokines in various diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Biotechnology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vohra
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Ganguly
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015759:Ionomycin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015032:Zinc; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors