Expression of TNF-α, IFN-γ, TGF-β, and IL-4 in the Spinal Tuberculous Focus and Its Impact on the Disease

To investigate the expression of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, TGF-beta, and IL-4 in the spinal tuberculous focus and its relationship with the lesions type, severity, and bone destruction. The pathological samples of patients with spinal tuberculosis (TB) were divided into hyperplasia group and necrosis group according to their intra-operative and post-operative pathological findings. Normal bone tissues were taken as the control group. Pathology and expression of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, TGF-beta, and IL-4 in different tissues were compared among these three groups using immunohistochemical staining, quantitative image analysis, and measurement of bone tissue. 286 granulomas observed in the 14 samples in the hyperplasia group, which included 84 necrotizing and 202 non-necrotizing granulomas. As for the 20 samples in the necrosis group, there were 356 necrotizing and 186 non-necrotizing granulomas among all the 542 granulomas. The proportion of necrotizing granulomas in the necrosis group was significantly higher than that of the hyperplasia group. By inter-group comparison, expression of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma of granulomas in the hyperplasia group was significantly higher than that of the necrosis group, while the expression of TGF-beta, IL-4 of granulomas in the necrosis group was significantly higher than that of the hyperplasia group. Also, expression of IFN-gamma of non-necrotizing granulomas was significantly higher than that of necrotizing granulomas in the hyperplasia group, and expression of TGF-beta in necrotizing granulomas was significantly higher than that of non-necrotizing granulomas in the necrosis group. The lesions were mainly bone resorption in the hyperplasia group, whereas mostly necrotic bones accompanied by local fibrosis in the necrosis group. Expression levels of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma in the hyperplasia group have a positive correlation to bone loss, whereas expression levels of TGF-beta, IL-4 in the necrosis group have a positive correlation to the bone formation. The high expressions of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma in the spinal tuberculous focus were associated with protective immune cells. TGF-beta and IL-4 were related to allergic lesions, fibrosis and osteogenesis. Expression imbalance of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, TGF-beta, and IL-4 might aggravate the allergy of TB.