Serum cytokine concentrations do not parallel Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced cytokine production in patients with tuberculosis.
We measured serum cytokine concentrations and Mycobacterium tuberculosis-stimulated cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from persons infected with M. tuberculosis. Serum interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) concentrations were elevated in patients with tuberculosis compared with healthy persons who had reactions to tuberculin skin tests, but IL-18 concentrations were not. In contrast, M. tuberculosis-stimulated PBMCs from patients with tuberculosis produced less IFN-gamma and IL-18 but similar amounts of IL-10, compared with PBMCs from healthy subjects who had reactions to tuberculin skin tests. Pretreatment of PBMCs from healthy subjects with reaction to tuberculin with serum from patients with tuberculosis inhibited IFN-gamma production in response to M. tuberculosis, and inhibition was blocked by anti-IL-10. Thus, serum concentrations of IFN-gamma, IL-18, and IL-10 do not parallel M. tuberculosis-induced cytokine levels, and increased IL-10 serum levels in patients with tuberculosis inhibit IFN-gamma production in response to mycobacterial antigens.
Vankayalapati
Ramakrishna
R
Center for Pulmonary and Infectious Disease Control, and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Health Center, Tyler, TX 75708-3154, USA.
Wizel
Benjamin
B
Weis
Stephen E
SE
Klucar
Peter
P
Shams
Homayoun
H
Samten
Buka
B
Barnes
Peter F
PF
D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000502:physiology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology
D016207:Cytokines; D020382:Interleukin-18; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma