[Modulation of an antituberculous immune response in vitro, by using antigen-activated dendritic cells]

The protocol for preparation of mature antigen-activated dendritic cells (DC) from peripheral blood monocytes from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis was optimized. The obtained DCs were concurrently cultured with mononuclear cells (MNC) to activate antigen recognition, by and without adding IL-18 for the formation of directed differentiation of naive T cells to T helper cells type 1 (Th1). Joint cultivation of specific autologous DCs and MNCs from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis is an effective way of activation of the latter, which appeared as an increase in the proliferative potential, stimulation of IFN-gamma production and formation of cytotoxic cells expressing perforin in response to the specific Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen ESAT-6. The use of recombinant IL-18 to enhance the induction of a Th1 response statistically significantly increases all the study parameters of MNC activation.