Immunocytochemical Expression of IFN-γ and IL-4 in Tuberculous Lymphadenitis with Dark Oval Bodies

BACKGROUND: We noticed some smears being cytologically diagnosed as common chronic lymphadenitis that cannot be treated with ordinary antibiotics, but succeeded with the anti-tuberculosis drug (ATD), even though it takes longer, up to a year or more. Re-examining the MGG smears, we got cases that show the structure, we call Dark Oval Bodies (DOB). Most of DOB smears express Interferon (IFN)-γ. IFN-γ _plays a role in the protection of infection while interleukin (IL)-4 in the opposite. AIM: The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a difference between an expression of IFN-γ _and IL-4 in DOB and whether IFN-γ _is associated with the protection of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Included in this study 41 cases of tuberculous lymphadenopathy with DOB that were not successfully treated with common antibiotics but succeeded with ATD. Antigen expression was determined using rabbit polyclonal to IFN-γ, (ab9657), and IL-4 (ab9622), Abcam. The expression was categorized as positive and negative. The details of the 41 cases were 37 cases (90%) with IFN-γ _(+), 4 (10%) with IFN-γ _(-), 10 (24%) with IL-4 (+), and 31 (76%) with IL-4 (-). Thirty cases expressed IFN-γ _(+) and IL-4 (-), 1: IFN-γ _(-) and IL-4 (+), 8: IFN-γ _(+) and IL-4 (+), and 2: IFN-γ _(-) and IL-4 (-). RESULTS: IFN-γ _is more frequently expressed in DOB compared to IL-4 (p<0.05, the Fisher’s exact tests). CONCLUSION: IFN-γ _can be benefited as the indicator of protection to the tuberculous process.