The effects of Con A-induced lymphokines from the T-lymphocyte subpopulations on human monocyte leishmanicidal capacity and H2O2 production.

The effects of concanavilin A (Con A)-induced lymphokines from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, enriched helper and suppressor lymphocyte populations and recombinant interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) on the ability of monocytes to promote killing of intracellular Leishmania major (L. major) amastigotes and to induce the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was examined. All these mitogen-induced supernatants contained active IFN-gamma. There were no differences in the ability of these supernatants or IFN-gamma to promote the monocyte killing of the L. major amastigotes or H2O2 production. An increase in H2O2 production by monocyte monolayers was observed following the addition of either of these supernatants or IFN-gamma alone. In addition, a marked increase in the production of H2O2 was observed following priming with either of these mitogen-induced supernatants or IFN-gamma and the addition of a second stimulus, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Monoclonal antibody to IFN-gamma abrogated the increase in production of H2O2 by all these mitogen-induced supernatants; however, this antibody only resulted in partial inhibition of the leishmaniacidal effect of these lymphokines on human monocytes. These results would suggest that IFN-gamma is the component of the lymphokine that is largely or exclusively responsible for H2O2 production, while other factors in addition to IFN-gamma are important in promoting oxygen-independent mechanisms for the killing of intracellular L. major amastigotes.