[Lymphocyte activation in tuberculous pleuritis . Correlation with adenosine deaminase (ADA), peripheral blood lymphocytes, T cell receptor subfamilies, radiographic extension and levels of Il-6 and soluble Il-2 receptor].

We determined in 14 patients with pleural tuberculosis total lymphocyte count, T subsets and NK cells (CD56) in pleura and blood and it was found a preferential accumulation in pleura of CD3 T lymphocytes, TCR alpha beta, mainly CD4 subset, but not T or NK cells. In 5 pleuritis it was studied 40% of V beta TCR subfamilies in blood and pleura and in 2 pulmonary tuberculosis and one pleuritis all V beta and V alpha TCR subfamilies (trough PCR), without be observed a clear clonal expansion. It was not observed correlation among a) pleural and blood lymphocyte cellularity b) the amount of pleural effusion and the existence of lymphopenia or tuberculinic anergia c) levels of ADA and percentage of CD3 and CD4 cells in pleura. In 7 out 11 pleuritis a high expression of IL-2 receptor (CD25) was observed. In 24 patients with pleural and pulmonary tuberculosis there was not correlation between levels of SIL-2R and IL-6 and radiographic extension.