INTERFERON-GAMMA AND TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA PROTECT MICE FROM INVASIVE ASPERGILLOSIS

The immunopathogenesis of invasive aspergillosis and the role played b y cytokines are not fully understood. The roles of interferon (IFN)-ga mma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were investigated in BALB/c mice infected intravenously with 5 x 10(5) Aspergillus fumigatus conid ia. Eight groups of animals were studied, including 2 control groups ( mice only infected with A. fumigatus and those given cortisone acetate and infected with A. fumigatus) and 6 groups of infected mice either treated or not treated with cortisone acetate and given IFN-gamma, ant i-IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, or anti-TNF-alpha. No deaths occurred among th e mice treated with IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, compared with 40%-80% mor tality in the other groups, IFN-gamma- and TNF-alpha-treated mice also had fewer organs from which A. fumigatus could be cultured or demonst rated on histologic examination. These observations suggest that IFN-g amma and TNF-alpha have protective roles in invasive aspergillosis.