Human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative adults with extrapulmonary tuberculosis have abnormal innate immune responses

Clin Infect Dis. 2001 Oct 1;33(7):976-82. doi: 10.1086/322670. Epub 2001 Aug 22.

Abstract

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis is presumably a marker of underlying immunodeficiency, but cytokine response pathways in these patients have not been well studied. Cytokine responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative adults with prior culture-confirmed extrapulmonary tuberculosis were compared with those of persons with latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Mitogen-stimulated interferon (IFN)-gamma production, interleukin (IL)-12 production, and IFN-gamma receptor- and IL-12 receptor-mediated cytokine production did not differ between case patients and control patients. However, median resting IL-8 production was significantly lower in case patients than control patients (8051 vs. 19,290 pg/mL; P=.009). In addition, the median tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha response was lower in case patients than control patients after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (833 vs. 1149 pg/mL; P=.06) and lipopolysaccharide plus IFN-gamma (3301 vs. 4411 pg/mL; P=.04). These abnormalities in resting IL-8 and lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha production were not associated with IFN-gamma or IL-12 abnormalities and were detected up to several years after cure of disease, suggesting an abnormality in innate immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cytokines / metabolism*
  • Female
  • HIV Seronegativity*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology*
  • Tuberculosis / immunology*

Substances

  • Cytokines