Korean J Med.  1999 Apr;56(4):468-473.

Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles produced from peripheral mononuclear cell in active pulmonary tubercuolsis

• Lee SY
• Lee SH
• Shin Y
• Choi GH
• Hyun DS
• Yoe DS
• Kim SC
• Moon HS
• Song JS
• Park SH

Abstract

T cell mediated immunity amlifies macrophage capacities to kill and digest the bacilli through production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). The secreted cytokines of Th1 and Th2 cells can mutually regulate and inhibit each other's function. Therefore, the fine balance between the secreted cytokines is important for the resulting nature of tuberculosis. In this study, activation marker and cytokine production profiles were compared in patients with active tuberculosis and healthy control, and according to degree of radiographic extent and pleural involvement. METHOD:Forty-four patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and 25 normal controls were recruited. We measuerd soluble interleukin-2 receptor(sIL-2R), IFN-r, IL-4 and IL-5 produced from blood mononuclear cells in vitro stimulation with phytohemagglutinin by ELISA.
RESULTS
The sIL-2R and IFN-gamma from patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis were significantly lower than normal control, while IL-4 and IL-5 were not different between two group. The sIL-2R and IFN-r decreased in proportion to the extent of pulmonary involvement, and the sIL-2R and IFN-r from pulmonary tuberculosis with pleural effusion were significantly lower than those without pleural effusion.
CONCLUSION
At the level of systemic T cells, development of tuberculosis is associated with diminished Th1 but not enhanced Th2 response.

Keyword

Tuberculosis; Th1/Th2 cell; Interleukin-2 receptor

MeSH Terms

Cytokines
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Humans
Immunity, Cellular
Interferon-gamma
Interleukin-2
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-5
Macrophages
Pleural Effusion
T-Lymphocytes
Th2 Cells
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
Cytokines
Interferon-gamma
Interleukin-2
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-5