title: Factors associated with in vitro interferon-gamma production in tuberculosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Macrophage activation assisted by interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is a primary mechanism by which Mycobacterium tuberculosis is killed, but IFN-γ (production is inhibited in tuberculosis (TB) patients. The production of IFN-γ is influenced by many factors, such as interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12, IL-18, and clinical diseases; but the relative importance of each factor is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the effects of these factors in 46 healthy individuals, 81 patients with TB, and 88 patients with non-TB pneumonia. The responses of IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-12 and IL-18 were determined from phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  General linear model analysis showed that disease status and IL-12 response were the independent factors associated with the IFN-γ response. The production of IFN-γ was not affected by IL-10 and IL-18. There was a significant relationship between the IFN-γ response and the IL-12 response among patients with non-TB pneumonia, patients with TB, and healthy participants (Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0.466, 0.483, and 0.464, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Production of IFN-γ in PBMCs was associated with active pulmonary TB and IL-12 response.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yu-Chih
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chien-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Duen-Yau
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Wen-Chen
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Huang-Pin
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma