MYCOBACTERIUM-MEDIATED CHEMOKINE EXPRESSION IN PLEURAL MESOTHELIAL CELLS - ROLE OF C-C CHEMOKINES IN TUBERCULOUS PLEURISY

Pulmonary tuberculosis is characterized by granulomatous inflammation with an extensive infiltration of mononuclear phagocytes, but the mech anisms of phagocyte recruitment to the pleural space is unknown. In th is study, pleural fluid from patients with tuberculosis contained sign ificantly (P < .001) more biologically active MIP-1 alpha and MCP-1 (C -C cytokines) than did effusions from patients with congestive heart f ailure. Antigenic MIP-1 alpha and MCP-1 was detected by immunocytochem istry in pleural biopsy sections of patients with tuberculous pleurisy . In vitro, pleural mesothelial cells stimulated with bacille Calmette -Guerin (BCC) or interferon (IFN)-gamma produced MIP-1 alpha and MCP-1 , Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction studies confirmed th at both BCG and IFN-gamma induced MIP-1 alpha and MCP-1 expression in mesothelial cells, demonstrating that mesothelial cell-derived C-C che mokines play a biologically important role in the recruitment of monon uclear cells to the pleural space.