title: Levels of anti-cytokine antibodies may be elevated in patients with pulmonary disease associated with non-tuberculous mycobacteria.
abstract: Pulmonary disease due to non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is caused by several species (particularly Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare) that are abundant in the environment. Th1 cytokines such as interferon (IFN)-γ are important in the control of mycobacteria, but in vitro production of IFN-γ is not deficient in adult patients with pulmonary NTM disease. Antibodies reactive with IFN-γ have been described in patients with disseminated NTM disease, but it is not clear whether they are common in pulmonary disease. Here we show that patients with pulmonary NTM have a higher level of anti-IFN-γ and anti-GM-CSF antibodies than healthy controls, although some controls also have high levels. Levels of anti-IFN-γ antibodies did not correlate with levels of total immunoglobulin. Longitudinal studies are required to determine whether anti-cytokine autoantibodies are consequence rather than a cause of pulmonary NTM disease.
authors: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors: Kyungchul
authors: K
authors: Kim
authors: Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors: Grant
authors: G
authors: Waterer
authors: School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Greenslopes Private Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Thomson
authors: School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors: Ian A
authors: IA
authors: Yang
authors: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors: Najla
authors: N
authors: Nashi
authors: Centre for Asthma, Allergy & Respiratory Research, Lung Institute of Western Australia, Australia.
authors: Dino B A
authors: DB
authors: Tan
authors: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. Electronic address: patricia.price@uwa.edu.au.
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Price
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000276:immunology*; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
keywords: Autoantibody; Cytokine; Interferon-γ; Non-tuberculous mycobacteria; Pulmonary disease