Abstract: Objective To study the effect of ternatolide (Tern.) on expression of granulysin mRNA in the activated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of the patients infected dormant tubercle bacilli (DTB). Methods 16kD α crytallin homolog gene of DTB in PBLs of 56 patients was detectd by PCR.Using competitive quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (QC-RT-PCR) analyze granulysin gene expression in the PBLs.Results The dosage of 100mg/L and 200mg/L of ternatolide significantly enhanced the granulysin mRNA experession in PBLs in vitro stimulated phytohemagglutinin (PHA) from the patients with DTB (P＜0.001).Conclusion The molecular mechanism of Tern. against intracellular pathogens might be associated with the inducting highly level on the expression of granulysin mRNA,a anti bacterial peptide in activated human cytotoxic lymphocytes.

Key words: Ternatolide, Granulysin, Dormant tubercle bacilli, 16kD α-Crytallin homolog