RESUMO
Peripheral lymphocytes (PL) were studied in 63 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 28 donors. The study revealed the elevated levels of lipid peroxidation products, altered membrane potential, and diminished PL viability in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis as compared with healthy donors. Analysis of the time dependences of cell viability and production of active tuberculosis products after endogenous porphyrin-photosensitized exposure suggests that the lymphocytes from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis are more exposed to the damaging effect of free radicals than the cells from healthy individuals. This is more apparent 18 hours of dark incubation after cell illumination in the presence of ALK-induced porphyrins in doses of 47.4 kJ/m2 or more. The findings suggest that the changes occurring in PL from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis may substantially cause immune disorders and contribute to the progression of a tuberculous process.
