title: Cytokine profiles in immunocompetent persons infected with Mycobacterium avium complex.
abstract: To evaluate the immunologic factors that contribute to protection against Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from human immunodeficiency virus-negative persons with pulmonary MAC (MAC patients) and healthy control subjects with a delayed hypersensitivity skin test response to M. avium sensitin (MAS-positive control subjects) was measured. In MAC patients, mycobacterium-stimulated PBMC produced higher concentrations of interleukin (IL)-10 but lower concentrations of interferon (IFN)-gamma, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, compared with PBMC from MAS-positive control subjects. Immunolabeling for intracellular IL-10 revealed that this cytokine was produced by both monocytes and T cells. Alveolar macrophages produced TNF-alpha and IL-10 in response to MAC, which suggests that these cytokines are produced in the lungs of patients with pulmonary disease caused by this pathogen. Our findings suggest that IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and IL-12 contribute to protection against MAC, whereas IL-10 is immunosuppressive.
authors.affiliation: Center for Pulmonary and Infectious Disease Control, University of Texas Health Center, Tyler, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vankayalapati
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wizel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Samten
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shams
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Galland
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Von Reyn
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors