Modulation of the human interleukin-12p40 response by a triazole antifungal derivative, Itraconazole

Abstract

Some types of antimicrobial agents such as fosfomycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin have been known to affect the host's immunological response. We investigated whether itraconazole (ITCZ) can modulate the serum cytokine levels (tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12p40) in both patients and healthy subjects. Serum samples were collected and TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-12p40 were measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We showed increased levels of IL-12p40 in patients treated with ITCZ. In healthy subjects, moreover, ITCZ treatment significantly increased the production of IL-12p40, but not TNF-α or IL-10. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of ITCZ in the treatment of fungal infection may be due not only to its direct antifungal effect, but also to induction of an immunomodulative effect on the host defense systems by regulation of cytokine production.