Fig. 1

The effect of thalidomide treatment on IFNγ production

TNFα levels were evaluated by ELISA in the serum of patients (top) and in the supernatants of PBMCs obtained from patients and stimulated in vitro with PPD (bottom). (Top) 14 patients were treated for 14 days with 300 mg/day of thalidomide (■). Serum levels were significantly higher after 7 days on the drug (Mid) relative to the pretreatment time point (p = 0.05) and significantly lower after discontinuation of treatment (Post) (p = 0.005). Ten patients were treated with MDT and placebo (□). (Bottom) release of IFNγ into the culture supernatants by patient PBMCs stimulated in vitro with PPD before, during, and after thalidomide (●) or placebo treatment (○). Results are means ± one SEM.