V. D. N. Aragão. SERUM LEVELS OF TNF-a, INF-g, IL-12, AND IL-10 IN PATIENTS WITH TUBERCULOSIS AND OTHER BACTERIAL INFECTIONS.

THESIS. V. D. N. Aragão submitted this dissertation for her Masters in Tropical Diseases at Botucatu School of Medicine, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil, 2002.

Advisor: Professor Alexandrina Sartori

ABSTRACT. Cytokines are low-molecular-weight proteins or glycoproteins secreted by white blood cells and several others in the body in response to a number of stimuli. They are mediators and regulators of the immune response to different pathogens. Their serum levels have been used as markers for disease activity, prognostic and therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we evaluated TNF-a, INF-g, IL-12, and IL-10 levels in the serum of patients with infection. This was performed before and at different times after the beginning of therapy. We also compared the cytokine levels in two groups, such as patients with tuberculosis and patients with other bacterial infections. Eighteen patients (eight with tuberculosis and ten with bacterial infections) were included in this work. The control group consisted of blood donors from the Hemocentro of the Hospital das Clínicas – UNESP – Botucatu. Serum cytokine levels were measured by ELISA in blood samples obtained before and after (2h, 6h, 12h, 24h, and 48h) antibiotic therapy. All patients with infection presented significantly higher cytokine levels than the controls (p<0.05). However, there was no statistical difference between the tuberculosis and the bacterial infection group. Chemotherapy did not significantly affect serum cytokine levels.

KEY WORDS: Cytokines, TNF-alfa, INF-gama, IL-12, IL-10, tuberculosis, bacterial infections.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

V. D. N. Aragão - Departamento de Doenças Tropicais e Diagnóstico por Imagem, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, UNESP. Distrito Rubião Junior, s/n, 18618-000, Botucatu, SP, Brasil. Email crisnog@fmb.unesp.br