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 variety of immune responses and to cause lymphocyte proliferation. In this study, we examined the effect of PT on cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes with the regard to the capability of this toxin to stimulate the production and release of various cytokines. PT was found to induce the production and release of Tumor Necrosis Factor alfa (TNF-alfa) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) by both human lymphocytes and monocytes and IL-1 (IL-1B) beta by human monocytes in culture. Most activities of PT in vitro were achieved at the optimal concentration range of 1-0.01 microgram/ml, which is responsible for the adjuvant effect of 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 and Bordetella pertussis itself may play an important role in antibacterial defenses against such infection.