J Bacteriol Virol.  2001 Sep;31(3):239-248.

Increased IL-12 , but Depressed IL-18 Production after In Vitro Stimulation with a 30-kDa Mycobacterial Antigen in Tuberculous Pleural Mononuclear Cells

• Song CH
• Jo EK
• Kim SH
• Kim HJ
• Suhr JW
• Paik TH
• Nam HH
• Lim JH
• Kim UO
• Lee JS
• Park JK

Abstract

In this study, we investigated interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-12 following in vitro stimulation with either the 30-kDa or purified protein derivative (PPD) antigens (Ag) of pleural mononuclear cells from 12 cases of tubercular pleurisy (TB-PMC) and 8 cases of malignant pleurisy (MG-PMC). Ag-stimulated TB-PMC produced significantly more IL-12 than did MG-PMC and the levels correlated with those of IFN - gamma. Although elevated IL-18 levels were found in freshly isolated pleural fluids, in vitro IL-18 production in response to either Ag was dramatically decreased in TB-PMC. Pro-IL-18 mRNA was detected before and after Ag stimulation in TB patients. Supernatants from the Ag-stimulated TB-PMC significantly suppressed IL-18 production in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and primary malignant cells over an 18 h incubation period. In addition, this suppressive activity was not inactivated by either heat or trypsin. Our findings imply that modulation of IL-12 and IL-18 levels may contribute to the Th1 elevation induced in human TB-P VIC by the 30-kDa and PPD antigens.

Keyword

Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Interleukin-12; Interleukin-18; 30-kDa antigen; Tuberculous pleurisy

MeSH Terms

Hot Temperature
Humans
Interleukin-12*
Interleukin-18*
Interleukins
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Pleurisy
RNA, Messenger
Trypsin
Tuberculosis, Pleural
Interleukin-12
Interleukin-18
Interleukins
RNA, Messenger
Trypsin