RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Type 1, Type 17 and other pro-inflammatory cytokines are known to play an important role in resistance to pulmonary tuberculosis. The role of these cytokines in tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBL) is not well characterized. METHODS: To estimate the systemic and mycobacterial antigen - stimulated cytokine concentrations of Type 1, Type 17, other pro-inflammatory and regulatory cytokines in TBL, we examined both the systemic and the antigen-specific concentrations of these cytokines in TBL (n=31) before and after chemotherapy, and compared them with those with latent tuberculosis infection (LTB, n=31). RESULTS: We observed significantly reduced systemic concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokines - IL-1ß and IL-18 but not other Type 1 or Type 17 cytokines in TBL compared to LTB. Following standard anti-tuberculosis (TB) treatment, we observed a significant increase in the concentrations of both IL-1ß and IL-18. In addition, we also observed significantly reduced baseline or mycobacterial - antigen or mitogen stimulated concentrations of IL-1ß and IL-18 in TBL individuals. Similar to systemic cytokine concentrations, anti-TB treatment resulted in significantly increased concentrations of these cytokines following antigen stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: TBL is therefore, characterized by reduced systemic and antigen-specific concentrations of IL-1ß and IL-18, which are reversible following anti-TB treatment, indicating that these cytokines are potential correlates of protective immunity in TBL.
