[Analysis of some immunological parameters in pulmonary tuberculosis]

The role of humoral response in immunity to tuberculosis (TB) is unclear, and clinical studies have yield inconsistent conclusions. The aim of this study was to evaluate number of the lymphocytes B, concentrations of immunoglobulins A, G, M (IgA, IgG, IgM), circulating immune complexes (KI), components C3 and C4 of complement, the expression of Fc and C3 receptors on monocytes isolated from peripheral blood. We performed evaluation in four groups: healthy volunteers (n = 24), patients with active tuberculosis before treatment (n = 36), TB patients after 2-month therapy (n = 20), and patients with inactive tuberculosis (n = 28). We estimated lymphocytes B, KI and the FcR, C3R expression on the surface of monocytes by Jondal method in evaluated groups. Monocytes were isolated from peripheral blood by Boyum method. The C3, C4, and IgA, IgG, IgM concentrations by nephelometry were tested. We found that in active TB before treatment the lymphocytes B number was significantly lower and the IgA, IgG, KI, C3, C4 concentrations and FcR, C3R expression were significantly higher in comparison to healthy controls. The levels of IgM in tested groups of patients were normal. After 2-month therapy the C3 concentration was significantly lower and the IgA, IgG, KI levels and FcR, C3R expression were significantly higher than in healthy group; the lymphocytes B and C4 levels were comparable with the control values. In an inactive TB, KI and FcR, C3R expressions remained significantly increased in the level the same before the antituberculosis treatment; the remains parameters were comparable with the values obtained from the healthy groups. The obtained results suggested that the immunoreactivity changes in active TB. Two-month antituberculosis treatment recovers some of parameters tested. In inactive TB, the restitution of immunoreactivity is not entirely occur; the KI levels and the FcR and C3R expression remain increased.