Impaired cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in type 1 diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the present investigation was to study the production of IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, IFNgamma and TNFalpha in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) taken from type 1 diabetic patients with inadequate metabolic control.


METHODS
Seventeen type 1 diabetic patients and a gender- and age-matched group of 17 healthy individuals were studied. PBMC cultures were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA; 20 microg/ml) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 microg/ml), and enzyme immunoassay (Elisa) was used to measure IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, IFNgamma and TNFalpha in the cell-culture supernatants.


RESULTS
IFNgamma levels in PHA-stimulated cultures were lower in the type 1 diabetics than in the non-diabetic controls (P<0.0001) while, in contrast, IL-10 levels were increased in the PHA-stimulated culture supernatants of the diabetics compared with the controls (P<0.0001). In addition, supernatant levels of the cytokines IL-1, IL-6 and TNFalpha released in the presence of LPS in the cell cultures from the diabetic patients were significantly lower than in the non-diabetic subjects (P<0.0001, P<0.0001 and P<0.03, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The impaired production of IL-1, IL-6, TNFalpha and IFNgamma, and the increased production of IL-10, in PBMC cultures from type 1 diabetics with inadequate metabolic control compared with healthy subjects may be an indication of a deficiency in mononuclear cell activation and, consequently, a deficient immune cellular adaptive response that, in turn, may be the cause of the increased incidence of infections in people with type 1 diabetes.
Foss
N T
NT
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, São Paulo University, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900. Monte Alegre, 14049-900 Monte Alegre, Brazil.
Foss-Freitas
M C
MC
Ferreira
M A N
MA
Cardili
R N
RN
Barbosa
C M C
CM
Foss
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D016207:Cytokines; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha