Glutathione deficiency in type 2 diabetes impairs cytokine responses and control of intracellular bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Individuals with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of acquiring melioidosis, a disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei infection. Although up to half of melioidosis patients have underlying diabetes, the mechanisms involved in this increased susceptibility are unknown. We found that B. pseudomallei-infected PBMCs from diabetic patients were impaired in IL-12p70 production, which resulted in decreased IFN-γ induction and poor bacterial killing. The defect was specific to the IL-12-IFN-γ axis. Defective IL-12 production was also observed during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, in which diabetes is likewise known to be a strong risk factor. In contrast, IL-12 production in diabetic cel

SUBMITTER: Tan KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3366396 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature