title: Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced cytokine and chemokine expression by human microglia and astrocytes: effects of dexamethasone.
abstract: Although corticosteroids are recommended as adjunctive therapy for tuberculous meningitis, the mechanism underlying their beneficial effect is poorly understood. In this study, human microglia and astrocytes were infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, and cytokine and chemokine expression was examined with and without dexamethasone treatment. Microglia were the principal cells infected by tubercle bacilli, which elicited robust amounts of several cytokines and chemokines. Treatment with dexamethasone markedly suppressed production of these mediators. The results of this study support the concept that microglia play an important role in neuropathogenesis of tuberculosis and that dexamethasone could operate via modulation of the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines by these brain macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Neuroimmunobiology and Host Defense Laboratory, Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation, MN 55455, USA. brock1007@msn.com
authors.forename: R Bryan
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Rock
authors.forename: Shuxian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Genya
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gekker
authors.forename: Wen S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kapur
authors.forename: Phillip K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018925:Chemokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D003907:Dexamethasone