Evaluation of phagocyte functions, inflammatory lymphokine activities and in vitro antibody synthesis in patients with active and chronic pulmonary tuberculosis.

In fourteen patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TBC) (seven active and seven chronic cases) non-specific immunity and B cell function were evaluated. Polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) and monocyte chemotaxis, phagocytosis and killing were depressed to a different extent regardless of the disease status. Additionally, determination of lymphocyte-derived chemotactic factor and leukocyte inhibitory factor activities indicated a reduced production of these two lymphokines. This may also explain the impairment of phagocyte functions. Furthermore, the frequency of T cell subsets was slightly modified except for the increased number of CD25+ cells. The in vitro antibody response was analysed in a plaque-forming cell system using pokeweed mitogen (PWM) as a polyclonal activator and purified protein derivative (PPD) as a specific antigen. Results show that in patients with active TBC the anti-PPD antibody response was markedly enhanced, while in both groups of patients PWM-induced antibody synthesis was normal. These findings indicate several immune deficiencies related to phase activity which occur during the course of the disease.