Impaired interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) activity in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.
We measured the activity of IL-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) of monocytes from pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum were collected from PTB patients (n = 16) and healthy subjects (n = 6). Serum IL-18 levels were significantly higher in PTB patients (515.9 +/- 326.5 pg/ml) than in controls (108.7 +/- 65.2 pg/ml) (P < 0.01), but gradually decreased with tuberculosis therapy. ICE activity was significantly lower in TB patients (65.3 +/- 34.4 vs. 142.2 +/- 75.6 U/mg) (P < 0.05). Serum IL-18 levels inversely correlated with ICE activity (P < 0.05). Altered ICE activity may explain why there is reduced IFN-gamma production from PBMCs; however, serum IL-18 is probably not regulated by ICE in monocytes in TB patients.
Department of Clinical Research, National Dohoku Hospital, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. fujiuchi@douhoku.hosp.go.jp
S
S
Fujiuchi
H
H
Matsumoto
Y
Y
Yamazaki
H
H
Nakata
M
M
Takahashi
S
S
Nakao
A
A
Takeda
K
K
Okamoto
Y
Y
Fujita
T
T
Fujikane
T
T
Shimizu
D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000201:enzymology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000201:enzymology*
D020382:Interleukin-18; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D020170:Caspase 1