J Korean Med Sci.  2006 Feb;21(1):30-34. 10.3346/jkms.2006.21.1.30.

Impact of Circulating TGF-beta and IL-10 on T Cell Cytokines in Patients with Asthma and Tuberculosis

• Jang AS
• Park SW
• Ahn MH
• Park JS
• Kim DJ
• Lee JH
• Park CS

• KMID: 2157778
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2006.21.1.30

Abstract

Regulatory T cells, which stimulate or inhibit the effector functions of distinct T cell subsets, are critical in the control of the immune response. We investigated the effect of TGF-beta and IL-10 on T cell subsets according to the Th1/Th2 immune status. Sixty-two patients with asthma and 38 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were included. Allergy skin tests, tuberculin tests, and chest radiography were performed. The levels of circulating IL-4, IFN-gamma, TGF-beta1, and IL-10 were measured using ELISA. The level of TGF-beta1 was higher in patients with asthma than in those with tuberculosis, but the IL-10 levels were the same between the asthma and tuberculosis groups. Atopy was unrelated to the tuberculin response. The IFN-gamma level was correlated with the IL-10 level, and the level of IL-4 was unrelated to the IL-10 or TGF-beta1 level. The level of IL-10 was higher in the negative tuberculin reactors than in the positive tuberculin reactors among patients with asthma, and TGF-beta1 was higher in the positive tuberculin reactors than in the negative tuberculin reactors among patients with tuberculosis. These results demonstrate that the regulatory effects of circulating TGF-beta and IL-10 on T cell cytokines may be different between Th2-type asthma and Th1 tuberculosis.

Keyword

Asthma; Tuberculosis; T-Lymphocytes; Interleukin-10; Transforming Growth Factor beta

MeSH Terms

Adult
Asthma/*blood/immunology
Cytokines/*blood
Female
Humans
Interferon Type II/blood
Interleukin-10/blood
Interleukin-4/blood
Male
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Respiratory Function Tests
Skin Tests
Th1 Cells/*metabolism
Th2 Cells/*metabolism
Transforming Growth Factor beta/blood
Tuberculin Test
Tuberculosis/*blood/immunology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Circulating cytokine profiles in patients with asthma by atopy (A) and tuberculin responses (B).

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  Fig. 2 Circulating cytokine profiles in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis by atopy (A) and tuberculin responses (B).

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