PRODUCTION AND RELEASE OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR ALFA, INTERLEUKIN-1B AND INTERLEUKIN-6 BY HUMAN MONONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES STIMULATED WITH PERTUSSIS TOXIN

Pertussis toxin (PT) has been previously shown to affect a wide variet y of immune responses and to cause lymphocyte proliferation. In this s tudy, we examined the effect of PT on cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes with the regard to the capability of this to xin to stimulate the production and release of various cytokines. PT w as found to induce the production and release of Tumor Necrosis Factor alfa (TNF-alfa) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) by both human lymphocytes an d monocytes and IL-1 (IL-1B) beta by human monocytes in culture. Most activities of PT in vitro were achieved at the optimal concentration r ange of 1-0.01 mu g/ml, which is responsible for the adjuvant effect o f PT in vivo. Since TNF-alfa, IL-1 beta and IL-6 are potent mediators of inflammation, the production and release of these cytokines by PT a nd Bordetella pertussis itself may play an important role in antibacte rial defenses against such infection.