Measurement of peripheral blood mononuclear cells producing IFN-Gamma in patients with tuberculosis
Braz. j. infect. dis
;
12(2): 123-127, Apr. 2008. ilus, tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-486312
ABSTRACT
The type of immune response induced by tuberculosis (Th1 or Th2) and its correlation with the clinical outcome is unclear. We studied 13 patients with active tuberculosis (TBC). The peripheral blood mononuclear cells producing IFN-gamma (PBMC-IG) were measured by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) technique. The control group had ten healthy individuals vaccinated against tuberculosis. We collected blood samples of each patient in two moments a) in the hospital admission without treatment (TBC1); b) after seven to 20 days of treatment (TBC2). The comparison of the spots forming units of PBMC-IG between TBC group and controls showed that there was a significant difference between TBC1 and control group (p < 0.001) and between TBC2 and control group (p < 0.005), but there was no difference between TBC1 and TBC2 (p > 0.05). A positive correlation was found between PBMC-IG and hemoglobin value, as well as between PBMC-IG and weight loss. There was no correlation between PBMC-IG and other variables [age, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP)]. We conclude that tuberculosis activates Th1 immune response due to increase of PBMC producing IFN-gamma. There was no difference between the first sample (TBC1) and the second sample (TBC2) of PBMC-IG. This result can have occurred due to treatment influence, or can indicate that the immune response reachs a plateau. The positive correlation among PBMC-IG and both hemoglobin level and weight loss indicates that may exist a link between patient's clinical status and the immune response intensity.
Full text:
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Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
/
Interferon-gamma
/
Th1 Cells
Type of study:
Observational study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. j. infect. dis
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
Year:
2008
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
University of São Paulo/BR
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