IL-10 and IL-12 Production in Response to Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Total Lipid Antigens in Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipid antigens take part in pathogenicity of the bacterium but the response of monocytes/macrophages to these antigens in tuberculosis is not well known. The aim of current investigation was to study the M. tuberculosis lipid antigens in tuberculosis pathogenesis. In the present studyM. tuberculosis lipid antigens were extracted. Monocytes and macrophages from multidrug- resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), TB patients, asymptomatic healthy individualswith positive tuberculin skin test positive and healthy individuals with negative tuberculinskin test were collected using magnetic cell sorting. The cells were stimulated by M.tuberculosis total lipid antigens and IL-12 and IL-10 in their supernatants were measuredby enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The IL-12 production by monocytesin response to M. tuberculosis total sonicate antigens in the MDR-TB patients didnot show a considerable difference with the PPD positive healthy subjects, whereas inthe active TB patients, IL-12 levels significantly decreased (p<0.05). IL-10 productionby monocytes in TB patients in response to total lipid antigens showed a significant increase in comparison to MDR-TB patients and healthy individuals. In the MDR-TB patients, IL-10 and IL-12 production by monocytes in response to M. tuberculosis lipid antigens are similar to the healthy subjects.