In this study, the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and IL-1β; Th1 cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), IL-2 and tumor necrosis factor-beta (TNF-β); and Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and Selleckchem Maraviroc IL-10 by the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of pulmonary tuberculosis patients was studied. PBMCs were cultured in vitro in the absence and presence of complex mycobacterial antigens and peptides corresponding to 11 regions of difference (RD) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that are deleted/absent in all vaccine strains of Mycobacterium

bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). The culture supernatants were tested for secreted cytokines by FlowCytomix assay. PBMCs from the majority of patients (53–100%) spontaneously secreted detectable concentrations of all cytokines tested, except for IL2 (29%) and IL-10 (41%). The profiles of proinflammatory cytokines were largely similar for various complex antigens or

RD peptides. However, with respect to Th1 and Th2 cytokines, the antigens could be divided into three groups; the first with Th1-bias (culture filtrate of M. tuberculosis, RD1, RD5, RD7, RD9 and RD10), the second with Th2-bias (whole cells and cell walls of M. tuberculosis, RD12, RD13 and RD15), and the third without Th1/Th2-bias (M. bovis BCG, RD4, RD6 and RD11). Complex mycobacterial antigens and RD proteins with Th1- and Th2-biases may have roles in protection and pathogenesis CHIR-99021 manufacturer of tuberculosis, respectively. Tuberculosis is a major global health problem, about one third of the world’s population being infected with M. tuberculosis, 9 million people developing active disease and 2 million people dying of this disease each year (1). In TB, both protection and pathogenesis are mediated by cellular responses, which primarily Forskolin mouse involve interactions of lymphocytes (mainly T cells) and phagocytes of the monocyte/macrophage lineage (2, 3). These interactions are mostly dependent on the interplay of cytokines produced by these

cells. Although, many cytokines contribute to protective immunity, Th1 responses, dominated by the secretion of cytokines IL-2, TNF-β and IFN-γ, are considered the major players in protective immunity against M. tuberculosis (2–9). In contrast, Th2 responses, characterized by the secretion of cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10, correlate with lack of protection and increased severity of TB (10–13). In particular, IL-10 is strongly associated with reduced resistance and chronic progressive TB (14). In addition, IL-10 deactivates macrophages and inhibits secretion of the protective Th1 cytokines (14). Furthermore, innate immune response-related pro-inflammatory cytokines with chemotactic activity, namely IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α, initiate events that curb mycobacterial growth by recruiting monocytes into the lesions and activating them to kill the pathogens (15).