title: IL-18 production in human pulmonary and pleural tuberculosis.
abstract: Interleukin-18 (IL-18) has multiple important pro-inflammatory effects, including the induction of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in various diseases. In this study, we investigated the IL-18-producing activities in human pulmonary and pleural tuberculosis (TB) in response to purified protein derivative (PPD) antigen (Ag) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The most significant IL-18 production was found in chronic refractory TB (CRTB) patients. However, IFN-gamma production in CRTB patients was significantly less than that in healthy tuberculin reactors or in patients with tuberculous pleurisy (TBP). Elevated levels of both IL-18 and IFN-gamma were found in pleural fluids from TBP patients. In vitro production of IL-18 was dramatically decreased following an 18 h stimulation with PPD. However, IFN-gamma was markedly increased in pleural mononuclear cells from TBP patients after in vitro stimulation with PPD. The mesothelial cell type was the main source of pro-IL-18 in pleural cells from TBP patients, suggesting an important role for these cells in TBP. Taken together, these data indicate that IL-18 is elevated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from CRTB patients, as well as at the site of TBP, indicating a possible role for IL-18 in both protective immunity and pathologic responses in human TB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Taejon, Korea.
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: J-S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J-W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Suhr
authors.forename: S-S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: M-J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: T-H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Paik
authors.forename: H-J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J-K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: E-K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Jo
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000276:immunology; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000276:immunology; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014373:Tuberculin; D007371:Interferon-gamma