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  • Title: Augmentation of apoptosis and interferon-gamma production at sites of active Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in human tuberculosis.
    Author: Hirsch CS, Toossi Z, Johnson JL, Luzze H, Ntambi L, Peters P, McHugh M, Okwera A, Joloba M, Mugyenyi P, Mugerwa RD, Terebuh P, Ellner JJ.
    Journal: J Infect Dis; 2001 Mar 01; 183(5):779-88. PubMed ID: 11181155.
    Abstract:
    Pleural tuberculosis (TB) was employed as a model to study T cell apoptosis at sites of active Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-coinfected (HIV/TB) patients and patients infected with TB alone. Apoptosis in blood and in pleural fluid mononuclear cells and cytokine immunoreactivities in plasma and in pleural fluid were evaluated. T cells were expanded at the site of MTB infection, irrespective of HIV status. Apoptosis of CD4 and non-CD4 T cells in the pleural space occurred in both HIV/TB and TB. Interferon (IFN)-gamma levels were increased in pleural fluid, compared with plasma. Spontaneous apoptosis correlated with specific loss of MTB-reactive, IFN-gamma-producing pleural T cells. Immunoreactivities of molecules potentially involved in apoptosis, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Fas-ligand, and Fas, were increased in pleural fluid, compared with plasma. These data suggest that continued exposure of immunoreactive cells to MTB at sites of infection may initiate a vicious cycle in which immune activation and loss of antigen-responsive T cells occur concomitantly, thus favoring persistence of MTB infection.
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