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Grossi de Oliveira AL, Brito RMDM, Siqueira WF, Parreiras de Jesus AC, Bueno LL, Fujiwara RT. IgG seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania infantum in leprosy patients: Implications for screening and management of co-infections. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 110:116405. [PMID: 38906031 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Parasitic co-infections are common in developing countries and can interfere with leprosy treatment, leading to an increased risk of inflammatory leprosy reactions. This study assessed serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels against Toxoplasma gondii and Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) antigens in 270 leprosy patients from Brazilian states. Regarding the respective cut-offs, the prevalence of IgG seropositivity for T. gondii and VL were 21.05 % and 47.36 % in the leprosy-negative group, and 77.7 % and 52.6 % in the leprosy-positive group. Of the 270 leprosy patients, 158 (58.5 %) presented with inflammatory leprosy reactions. Of those, 72 (59.5 %) had neuritis, 35 (48.6 %) had reverse reactions, and 28 (38.9 %) had ENL in both Brazilian states. Leprosy patients with anti-Leishmania IgG seropositivity were 3.25 times more likely to develop neuritis (95 % C.I.: 1.187 - 9.154; p = 0.019). These findings are particularly relevant for clinical settings where both leprosy and parasitic diseases are prevalent and could provide essential guidance for detecting and addressing complications arising from parasitic co-infections in leprosy patients, thereby improving clinical management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Laura Grossi de Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Controle de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Controle de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Williane Fernanda Siqueira
- Laboratório de Imunoquímica de Proteínas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Augusto César Parreiras de Jesus
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Controle de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Lilian Lacerda Bueno
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Controle de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Controle de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Prakoeswa FRS, Haningtyas N, Dewi LM, Handoko EJ, Azenta MT, Ilyas MF. The role of CXCL10 as a biomarker for immunological response among patients with leprosy: a systematic literature review. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17170. [PMID: 38590701 PMCID: PMC11000641 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Involvement of a chemokine known as C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 or CXCL10 in the immunopathology of leprosy has emerged as a possible immunological marker for leprosy diagnosis and needed to be investigate further. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess CXCL10's potential utility as a leprosy diagnostic tool and evaluation of therapy. Methods This systematic review is based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020. A thorough search was carried out to find relevant studies only in English and limited in humans published up until September 2023 using PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Wiley Online Library database with keywords based on medical subject headings (MeSH) and no exclusion criteria. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was utilized for quality assessment, while the Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Non-randomized Studies (RoBANS) was utilized for assessing the risk of bias. Additionally, a narrative synthesis was conducted to provide a comprehensive review of the results. Results We collected a total of 115 studies using defined keywords and 82 studies were eliminated after titles and abstracts were screened. We assessed the eligibility of the remaining 26 reports in full text and excluded four studies due to inappropriate study design and two studies with incomplete outcome data. There were twenty included studies in total with total of 2.525 samples. The included studies received NOS quality evaluation scores ranging from 6 to 8. The majority of items in the risk bias assessment, using RoBANS, across all included studies yielded low scores. However, certain items related to the selection of participants and confounding variables showed variations. Most of studies indicate that CXCL10 may be a helpful immunological marker for leprosy diagnosis, particularly in leprosy reactions as stated in seven studies. The results are better when paired with other immunological markers. Its effectiveness in field-friendly diagnostic tools makes it one of the potential biomarkers used in diagnosing leprosy patients. Additionally, CXCL10 may be utilized to assess the efficacy of multidrug therapy (MDT) in leprosy patients as stated in three studies. Conclusion The results presented in this systematic review supports the importance of CXCL10 in leprosy diagnosis, particularly in leprosy responses and in tracking the efficacy of MDT therapy. Using CXCL10 in clinical settings might help with leprosy early diagnosis. Yet the findings are heterogenous, thus more investigation is required to determine the roles of CXCL10 in leprosy while taking into account for additional confounding variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Ramona Sigit Prakoeswa
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, PKU Muhammadiyah Surakarta Hospital, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia
| | - Nabila Haningtyas
- Faculty of Medicine, Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia
| | - Listiana Masyita Dewi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia
| | | | - Moch. Tabriz Azenta
- Faculty of Medicine, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia
| | - Muhana Fawwazy Ilyas
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia
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Pierneef L, Malaviya P, van Hooij A, Sundar S, Singh AK, Kumar R, de Jong D, Meuldijk M, Kumar A, Zhou Z, Cloots K, Corstjens P, Hasker E, Geluk A. Field-friendly anti-PGL-I serosurvey in children to monitor Mycobacterium leprae transmission in Bihar, India. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1260375. [PMID: 37828950 PMCID: PMC10565223 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1260375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It has been amply described that levels of IgM antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) correlate strongly with the bacterial load in an infected individual. These findings have generated the concept of using seropositivity for antibodies against M. leprae PGL-I as an indicator of the proportion of the population that has been infected. Although anti-PGL-I IgM levels provide information on whether an individual has ever been infected, their presence cannot discriminate between recent and past infections. Since infection in (young) children by definition indicates recent transmission, we piloted the feasibility of assessment of anti-PGL-I IgM seroprevalence among children in a leprosy endemic area in India as a proxy for recent M. leprae transmission. Material and methods A serosurvey for anti-PGL-I IgM antibodies among children in highly leprosy endemic villages in Bihar, India, was performed, applying the quantitative anti-PGL-I UCP-LFA cassette combined with low-invasive, small-volume fingerstick blood (FSB). Results Local staff obtained FSB of 1,857 children (age 3-11 years) living in 12 leprosy endemic villages in Bihar; of these, 215 children (11.58%) were seropositive for anti-PGL-I IgM. Conclusion The anti-PGL-I seroprevalence level of 11.58% among children corresponds with the seroprevalence levels described in studies in other leprosy endemic areas over the past decades where no prophylactic interventions have taken place. The anti-PGL-I UCP-LFA was found to be a low-complexity tool that could be practically combined with serosurveys and was well-accepted by both healthcare staff and the population. On route to leprosy elimination, quantitative anti-PGL-I serology in young children holds promise as a strategy to monitor recent M. leprae transmission in an area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Pierneef
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Paritosh Malaviya
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Anouk van Hooij
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Shyam Sundar
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Abhishek Kumar Singh
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Rajiv Kumar
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Danielle de Jong
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Maaike Meuldijk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Awnish Kumar
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Zijie Zhou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Kristien Cloots
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Paul Corstjens
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Epco Hasker
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Annemieke Geluk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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Kratzer B, Grabmeier-Pfistershammer K, Trapin D, Körmöczi U, Rottal A, Feichter M, Waidhofer-Söllner P, Smogavec M, Laccone F, Hauser M, Winkler S, Pickl WF, Lechner AM. Mycobacterium avium Complex Infections: Detailed Phenotypic and Functional Immunological Work-Up Is Required despite Genetic Analyses. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2023; 184:914-931. [PMID: 37279717 DOI: 10.1159/000530844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cervical scrofulous lymphadenitis due to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) in immunocompetent adults is a rare disease. The presence of MAC infections demands meticulous clinical evaluation of patients along with detailed phenotypic and functional evaluation of their immune system including next-generation sequencing (NGS) analyses of target genes. METHODS Exact clinical histories of the index patients both suffering from retromandibular/cervical scrofulous lymphadenitis were obtained along with phenotypic and functional immunological evaluations of leukocyte populations followed by targeted NGS-based sequencing of candidate genes. RESULTS Immunological investigations showed normal serum immunoglobulin and complement levels, but lymphopenia, which was caused by significantly reduced CD3+CD4+CD45RO+ memory T-cell and CD19+ B-cell numbers. Despite normal T-cell proliferation to a number of accessory cell-dependent and -independent stimuli, the PBMC of both patients elaborated clearly reduced levels of a number of cytokines, including IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-1α, IL-1β, and TNF-α upon TCR-dependent T-cell stimulation with CD3-coated beads but also superantigens. The IFN-γ production deficiency was confirmed for CD3+CD4+ helper and CD4+CD8+ cytotoxic T cells on the single-cell level by multiparametric flow cytometry irrespective of whether PMA/ionomycin-stimulated whole blood cells or gradient-purified PBMC was analyzed. In the female patient L1, targeted NGS-based sequencing revealed a homozygous c.110T>C mutation in the interferon-γ receptor type 1 (IFNGR1) leading to significantly reduced receptor expression on both CD14+ monocytes and CD3+ T cells. Patient S2 presented with normal IFNGR1 expression on CD14+ monocytes but significantly reduced IFNGR1 expression on CD3+ T cells, despite the absence of detectable homozygous mutations in the IFNGR1 itself or disease-related target genes. Exogenous addition of increasing doses of IFN-γ resulted in proper upregulation of high-affinity FcγRI (CD64) on monocytes from patient S2, whereas monocytes from patient L1 showed only partial induction of CD64 expression after incubation with high doses of IFN-γ. CONCLUSION A detailed phenotypic and functional immunological examination is urgently required to determine the cause of a clinically relevant immunodeficiency, despite detailed genetic analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Kratzer
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Doris Trapin
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Körmöczi
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arno Rottal
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Melanie Feichter
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Petra Waidhofer-Söllner
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mateja Smogavec
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics, Vienna, Austria
| | - Franco Laccone
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Hauser
- Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Biosciences, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Stefan Winkler
- Medical University of Vienna, Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Winfried F Pickl
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Vienna, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner University, Krems, Austria
| | - Arno M Lechner
- Paracelsus University Salzburg, University Institute for Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, Salzburg, Austria
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Endoplasmic reticulum stress mediates the myeloid-derived immune suppression associated with cancer and infectious disease. J Transl Med 2023; 21:1. [PMID: 36593497 PMCID: PMC9809056 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03835-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which are immature heterogeneous bone marrow cells, have been described as potent immune regulators in human and murine cancer models. The distribution of MDSCs varies across organs and is divided into three subpopulations: granulocytic MDSCs or polymorphonuclear MDSCs (G-MDSCs or PMN-MDSCs), monocytic MDSCs (M-MDSCs), as well as a recently identified early precursor MDSC (eMDSCs) in humans. Activated MDSCs induce the inactivation of NK cells, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells through a variety of mechanisms, thus promoting the formation of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. ER stress plays an important protecting role in the survival of MDSC, which aggravates the immunosuppression in tumors. In addition, ferroptosis can promote an anti-tumor immune response by reversing the immunosuppressive microenvironment. This review summarizes immune suppression by MDSCs with a focus on the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated immune suppression in cancer and infectious disease, in particular leprosy and tuberculosis.
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Quintarelli L, Magnaterra E, Maglie R, Corrà A, Ruffo di Calabria V, Aimo C, Mariotti EB, Verdelli A, Maio V, Antiga E, Caproni M. Lepromatous leprosy presenting with erythema nodosum leprosum mimicking Bechet's disease. Travel Med Infect Dis 2022; 52:102521. [PMID: 36528249 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2022.102521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L Quintarelli
- Rare Diseases Unit, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, European Reference Network-Skin Member, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - E Magnaterra
- Department of Health Sciences, Section Dermatology, University of Florence, Italy.
| | - R Maglie
- Department of Health Sciences, Section Dermatology, University of Florence, Italy
| | - A Corrà
- Department of Health Sciences, Section Dermatology, University of Florence, Italy
| | - V Ruffo di Calabria
- Department of Health Sciences, Section Dermatology, University of Florence, Italy
| | - C Aimo
- Department of Health Sciences, Section Dermatology, University of Florence, Italy
| | - E B Mariotti
- Department of Health Sciences, Section Dermatology, University of Florence, Italy
| | - A Verdelli
- Rare Diseases Unit, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, European Reference Network-Skin Member, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - V Maio
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - E Antiga
- Department of Health Sciences, Section Dermatology, University of Florence, Italy
| | - M Caproni
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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Zhou Z, Pierneef L, van Hooij A, Geluk A. Detection of anti-M. leprae antibodies in healthy children in China: A systematic review of Chinese literature. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.963674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) that mainly involves the skin and peripheral nerves, causing lifelong deformities and social stigma. As evident from the practically stable number of new cases reported worldwide during the past decade, transmission is still ongoing. On route to leprosy elimination, an appropriate tool is needed to monitor M. leprae transmission. M. leprae-specific antibodies indicate infection with M. leprae, but do not differentiate between present and past infection. Nevertheless, detection of M. leprae infection in young children per definition indicates recent infection. Hence, seroprevalence in young children can be used to monitor recent M. leprae transmission. Despite having eliminated leprosy in most parts of the country, studies on transmission conducted in China are not sufficiently reported in the English literature. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of Chinese literature describing serological studies in healthy children in (former) leprosy endemic areas in China, available in the Chinese databases: China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and Wanfang Database. From the 710 articles identified in these three Chinese databases, only four full-text articles fulfilled all inclusion criteria regarding sufficiently detailed descriptions of anti-M. leprae antibodies in healthy children. Two additional papers were identified through snowballing, resulting in a total of six articles considered for this review reporting quantitative serological data from three Chinese provinces between 1987 and 2003. All studies used ELISAs to quantify antibody levels. Seroprevalence in healthy children ranged from 7.93% (Yunnan) to 32.35% (Jiangsu). If the same method was used (in Jiangsu), direct comparison of studies at different time points indicated that decrease in disease prevalence (0.28 to 0.16 per 100,000) or new case detection rate (2.6 to 1.0 per 100,000) from 1987-1991 corresponded to decrease in anti-M. leprae antibody seroprevalence (30.86% to 22.61%) in healthy children. Thus, these findings are consistent with the previous finding that anti-M. leprae antibody seroprevalence in young children represents a surrogate indicator to monitor transmission.
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Sharma M, Singh P. Advances in the Diagnosis of Leprosy. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.893653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy is a public health issue, and early detection is critical to avert disability. Despite the global attempt to eradicate this disease as a public health problem, it remains an important cause of global neurological disability. India, Brazil and Indonesia share more than 70% of the cases. The reduction of new cases is a priority in the WHO global strategy 2021-2030 which aims to reduce disease transmission in the community by diagnosing cases and identifying subclinical infection. The clinical manifestations of leprosy range from a few to several lesions. The identification remains difficult due to the limited sensitivity of traditional approaches based on bacillary counts of skin smears and histology. To aid in the diagnosis of this disease, molecular biology, and biotechnological technologies have been applied, each with its own set of benefits and downsides despite providing an essential tool to validate the clinical diagnosis of leprosy. Because of this, it is strongly recognized that specific, inexpensive point of care technologies should be developed, particularly to identify asymptomatic M. leprae infections or leprosy nearer to the suspected cases seeking medical attention. Thus, this review will provide an overview of the advancements in leprosy diagnosis over the world. The purpose of this review is to improve our understanding of the outcomes of current tests and technologies used in leprosy diagnosis and to emphasize critical aspects concerning the detection of leprosy bacilli.
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Reduced vitamin D receptor (VDR) and cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) gene expression contribute to the maintenance of inflammatory immune response in leprosy patients. Microbes Infect 2022; 24:104981. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2022.104981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Marçal PHF, de Souza MLM, Gama RS, de Oliveira LBP, de Souza Gomes M, do Amaral LR, Pinheiro RO, Sarno EN, Moraes MO, Fairley JK, Martins-Filho OA, de Oliveira Fraga LA. Algorithm design for a cytokine release assay of antigen-specific in vitro stimuli of circulating leukocytes to classify leprosy patients and household contacts. Open Forum Infect Dis 2022; 9:ofac036. [PMID: 35169594 PMCID: PMC8842339 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Immunological biomarkers have often been used as a complementary approach to support clinical diagnosis in several infectious diseases. The lack of commercially available laboratory tests for conclusive early diagnosis of leprosy has motivated the search for novel methods for accurate diagnosis. In the present study, we describe an integrated analysis of a cytokine release assay using a machine learning approach to create a decision tree algorithm. This algorithm was used to classify leprosy clinical forms and monitor household contacts. Methods A model of Mycobacterium leprae antigen-specific in vitro assay with subsequent cytokine measurements by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interferon-γ, interleukin 4, and interleukin 10 (IL-10) in culture supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with leprosy, healthy controls, and household contacts. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was carried out to define each cytokine’s global accuracy and performance indices to identify clinical subgroups. Results Data demonstrated that TNF (control culture [CC]: AUC = 0.72; antigen-stimulated culture [Ml]: AUC = 0.80) and IL-10 (CC: AUC = 0.77; Ml: AUC = 0.71) were the most accurate biomarkers to classify subgroups of household contacts and patients with leprosy, respectively. Decision tree classifier algorithms for TNF analysis categorized subgroups of household contacts according to the operational classification with moderate accuracy (CC: 79% [48/61]; Ml: 84% [51/61]). Additionally, IL-10 analysis categorized leprosy patients’ subgroups with moderate accuracy (CC: 73% [22/30] and Ml: 70% [21/30]). Conclusions Together, our findings demonstrated that a cytokine release assay is a promising method to complement clinical diagnosis, ultimately contributing to effective control of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Márcio Luís Moreira de Souza
- Programa Multicêntrio de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular-Núcleo de Pesquisa em Hansenologia – Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Instituto de Ciências da Vida, Campus Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil
| | - Rafael Silva Gama
- Universidade Vale do Rio Doce – Univale, Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Matheus de Souza Gomes
- Laboratório de Bioinformática e Análises Moleculares, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, INGEB/FACOM, Campus Patos de Minas, Patos de Minas, MG, Brazil
| | - Laurence Rodrigues do Amaral
- Laboratório de Bioinformática e Análises Moleculares, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, INGEB/FACOM, Campus Patos de Minas, Patos de Minas, MG, Brazil
| | - Roberta Olmo Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Hanseníase, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ-RJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Euzenir Nunes Sarno
- Laboratório de Hanseníase, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ-RJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Milton Ozório Moraes
- Laboratório de Hanseníase, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ-RJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jessica K Fairley
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | | | - Lucia Alves de Oliveira Fraga
- Programa Multicêntrio de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular-Núcleo de Pesquisa em Hansenologia – Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Instituto de Ciências da Vida, Campus Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil
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Maciel-Fiuza MF, Costa PDSS, Kowalski TW, Schuler-Faccini L, Bonamigo RR, Vetoratto R, Eidt LM, de Moraes PC, Silveira MIDS, Camargo LMA, Callegari-Jacques SM, Castro SMDJ, Vianna FSL. Evaluation of Polymorphisms in Toll-Like Receptor Genes as Biomarkers of the Response to Treatment of Erythema Nodosum Leprosum. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:713143. [PMID: 35141236 PMCID: PMC8819000 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.713143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) is an inflammatory complication caused by a dysregulated immune response to Mycobacterium leprae. Some Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been identified as capable of recognizing antigens from M. leprae, triggering a wide antimicrobial and inflammatory response. Genetic polymorphisms in these receptors could influence in the appearance of ENL as well as in its treatment. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the association of genetic variants of TLRs genes with the response to treatment of ENL with thalidomide and prednisone. A total of 162 ENL patients were recruited from different regions of Brazil and clinical information was collected from their medical records. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood and saliva samples and genetic variants in TLR1 (rs4833095), TLR2 (rs3804099), TLR4 (rs1927914), and TLR6 (rs5743810) genes were genotyped by TaqMan real-time PCR system. In order to evaluate the variants' association with the dose of the medications used during the treatment, we applied the Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) analysis. In the present sample, 123 (75.9%) patients were men and 86 (53.1%) were in treatment for leprosy during the ENL episode. We found an association between polymorphisms in TLR1/rs4833095, TLR2/rs3804099, TLR4/rs1927914, and TLR6/rs5783810 with the dose variation of thalidomide in a time-dependent manner, i.e., the association with the genetic variant and the dose of the drug was different depending on the moment of the treatment evaluated. In addition, we identified that the association of polymorphisms in TLR1/rs4833095, TLR2/rs3804099, and TLR6/rs5783810 with the dose variation of prednisone also were time-dependent. Despite these associations, in all the interactions found, the influence of genetic variants on dose variation was not clinically relevant for therapeutic changes. The results obtained in this study show that TLRs polymorphism might play a role in the response to ENL treatment, however, in this context, they could not be considered as useful biomarkers in the clinical setting due small differences in medication doses. A larger sample size with patients with a more genetic profile is fundamental in order to estimate the association of genetic variants with the treatment of ENL and their clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriãn Ferrão Maciel-Fiuza
- Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Genética Médica Populacional, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Genomics Medicine Laboratory, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Immunogenetics, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Thayne Woycinck Kowalski
- Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Genética Médica Populacional, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Genomics Medicine Laboratory, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Immunogenetics, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lavínia Schuler-Faccini
- Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Genética Médica Populacional, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Teratogen Information Service, Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Renan Rangel Bonamigo
- Post-graduate Program in Pathology, Universidade Federal De Ciências Da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Dermatology Service of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine, Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Vetoratto
- Dermatology Service of Santa Casa Hospital of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Letícia Maria Eidt
- Sanitary Dermatology Clinic, Secretaria De Saúde Do Estado Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Paulo Cezar de Moraes
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine, Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Sanitary Dermatology Clinic, Secretaria De Saúde Do Estado Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Luis Marcelo Aranha Camargo
- National Reference Center for Health Dermatology Dona Libania, Fortaleza, Brazil
- Center for Research in Tropical Medicine, Porto Velho, Rondonia, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology-EpiAmo, Rondonia, Brazil
- Department of Medicine, Centro Universitario São Lucas, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology/CNPq-EpiAmo, Rondonia, Brazil
| | - Sidia Maria Callegari-Jacques
- Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine, Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Department of Statistics, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Stela Maris de Jezus Castro
- Department of Statistics, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Sales Luiz Vianna
- Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Genética Médica Populacional, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Genomics Medicine Laboratory, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Immunogenetics, Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine, Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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12
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Jesus JBD, Sena CBCD, Macchi BDM, do Nascimento JLM. Cyclosporin A as an Alternative Neuroimmune Strategy to Control Neurites and Recover Neuronal Tissues in Leprosy. Neuroimmunomodulation 2022; 29:15-20. [PMID: 34350891 DOI: 10.1159/000517993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, continues to have a substantial impact on infectious diseases throughout the world. Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae and shows a wide clinical and immunopathological spectrum related to the immune response of the host. This disease affects the skin and other internal organs with a predilection to infect Schwann cells, which play an active role during axonal degeneration, affecting peripheral nerves and promoting neurological damage. This chronic inflammation influences immune function, leading to neuroimmune disorders. Leprosy is also associated with neuroimmune reactions, including type 1 (reverse) and type 2 (erythema nodosum leprosum) reactions, which are immune-mediated inflammatory complications that can occur during the disease and appear to worsen dramatically; these complications are the main concerns of patients. The reactions may induce neuritis and neuropathic pain that progressively worsen with irreversible deformity and disabilities responsible for the immunopathological damage and glial/neuronal death. However, the neuronal damage is not always associated with the reactional episode. Also, the efficacy in the treatment of reactions remains low because of the nonexistence of a specific treatment and missing informations about the immunopathogenesis of the reactional episode. There is increasing evidence that peripheral neuron dysfunction strongly depends on the activity of neurotrophins. The most important neurotrophin in leprosy is nerve growth factor (NGF), which is decreased in the course of leprosy, as well as the presence of autoantibodies against NGF in all clinical forms of leprosy and neuroimmune reactions. The levels of autoantibodies against NGF are decreased by the immunomodulatory activity of cyclosporin A, which mainly controls pain and improves motor function and sensitivity. Therefore, the suppression of anti-NGF and the regulation of NGF levels can be attractive targets for immunomodulatory treatment and for controlling the neuroimmune reactions of leprosy, although further studies are needed to clarify this point.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Batista de Jesus
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Chubert Bernardo Castro de Sena
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT - NIM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Barbarella de Matos Macchi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT - NIM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Luiz Martins do Nascimento
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT - NIM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Graduation Program in Pharmaceutical Science, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
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13
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Kumar N, Khan N, Cleveland D, Geiger JD. A common approach for fighting tuberculosis and leprosy: controlling endoplasmic reticulum stress in myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Immunotherapy 2021; 13:1555-1563. [PMID: 34743608 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2021-0197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy and tuberculosis are infectious diseases that are caused by bacteria, and both share primary risk factors. Mediators of these diseases are regulated by a heterogeneous immature population of myeloid cells called myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) that exhibit immunosuppressive activity against innate and adaptive immunity. During pathological conditions, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurs in MDSCs, and high levels of ER stress affect MDSC-linked immunosuppressive activity. Investigating the role of ER stress in regulating immunosuppressive functions of MDSCs in leprosy and tuberculosis may lead to new approaches to treating these diseases. Here the authors discuss the immunoregulatory effects of ER stress in MDSCs as well as the possibility of targeting unfolded protein response elements of ER stress to diminish the immunosuppressive activity of MDSCs and reinvigorate diminished adaptive immune system responses that occur in leprosy and tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirmal Kumar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 504 Hamline Street, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
| | - Nabab Khan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 504 Hamline Street, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
| | - Dawn Cleveland
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 504 Hamline Street, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
| | - Jonathan D Geiger
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 504 Hamline Street, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
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14
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BCG-induced immunity profiles in household contacts of leprosy patients differentiate between protection and disease. Vaccine 2021; 39:7230-7237. [PMID: 34688497 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae leading to irreversible disabilities along with social exclusion. Leprosy is a spectral disease for which the clinical outcome after M. leprae infection is determined by host factors. The spectrum spans from anti-inflammatory T helper-2 (Th2) immunity concomitant with large numbers of bacteria as well as antibodies against M. leprae antigens in multibacillary (MB) leprosy, to paucibacillary (PB) leprosy characterised by strong pro-inflammatory, Th1 as well as Th17 immunity. Despite decades of availability of adequate antibiotic treatment, transmission of M. leprae is unabated. Since individuals with close and frequent contact with untreated leprosy patients are particularly at risk to develop the disease themselves, prophylactic strategies currently focus on household contacts of newly diagnosed patients. It has been shown that BCG (re)vaccination can reduce the risk of leprosy. However, BCG immunoprophylaxis in contacts of leprosy patients has also been reported to induce PB leprosy, indicating that BCG (re)vaccination may tip the balance between protective immunity and overactivation immunity causing skin/nerve tissue damage. In order to identify who is at risk of developing PB leprosy after BCG vaccination, amongst individuals who are chronically exposed to M. leprae, we analyzed innate and adaptive immune markers in whole blood of household contacts of newly diagnosed leprosy patients in Bangladesh, some of which received BCG vaccination. As controls, individuals from the same area without known contact with leprosy patients were similarly assessed. Our data show the added effect of BCG vaccination on immune markers on top of the effect already induced by M. leprae exposure. Moreover, we identified BCG-induced markers that differentiate between protective and disease prone immunity in those contacts.
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15
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Silva KKDPE, de Oliveira EE, Elias CMM, Pereira IE, Pinheiro RO, Sarno EN, Duthie MS, Teixeira HC. Serum IgA Antibodies Specific to M. leprae Antigens as Biomarkers for Leprosy Detection and Household Contact Tracking. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:698495. [PMID: 34447763 PMCID: PMC8382955 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.698495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy remains endemic in several developing countries, such as India and Brazil, in part due to delayed diagnosis that facilitates ongoing transmission. Although immunoglobulins against several Mycobacterium leprae antigens have been indicated for the early diagnosis, and IgA participates in the early stages of leprosy and in subclinical infection, relatively little research has examined anti-M. leprae IgA responses. Here, we investigated serum IgA reactivity against NDO-HSA, LID-1 and NDO-LID, in paucibacillary (PB) and multibacillary (MB) patients and their household contacts, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Diagnostic accuracy of each ELISA was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Our data reveal elevated IgA serum levels against the three M. leprae specific antigens in MB patients, whereas IgA reactivity in PB patients was increased only to NDO-HSA. Further, MB and PB household contacts displayed higher IgA reactivity to NDO-HSA than non-endemic controls. Our data suggest measurement of serum IgA against NDO-HSA as an additional tool in the diagnosis and classification of the disease, with potential utility for household contact follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyssia Karen de Paiva E Silva
- Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Erick Esteves de Oliveira
- Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Carolina Martins Moreira Elias
- Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Ingrid Estevam Pereira
- Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Roberta Olmo Pinheiro
- Leprosy Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Euzenir Nunes Sarno
- Leprosy Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Henrique Couto Teixeira
- Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
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16
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Pierneef L, van Hooij A, Taal A, Rumbaut R, Nobre ML, van Brakel W, Geluk A. Detection of anti-M. leprae antibodies in children in leprosy-endemic areas: A systematic review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009667. [PMID: 34449763 PMCID: PMC8428563 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leprosy elimination primarily targets transmission of Mycobacterium leprae which is not restricted to patients' households. As interruption of transmission is imminent in many countries, a test to detect infected asymptomatic individuals who can perpetuate transmission is required. Antibodies directed against M. leprae antigens are indicative of M. leprae infection but cannot discriminate between active and past infection. Seroprevalence in young children, however, reflects recent M. leprae infection and may thus be used to monitor transmission in an area. Therefore, this literature review aimed to evaluate what has been reported on serological tests measuring anti-M. leprae antibodies in children without leprosy below the age of 15 in leprosy-endemic areas. METHODS AND FINDINGS A literature search was performed in the databases Pubmed, Infolep, Web of Science and The Virtual Health Library. From the 724 articles identified through the search criteria, 28 full-text articles fulfilled all inclusion criteria. Two additional papers were identified through snowballing, resulting in a total of 30 articles reporting data from ten countries. All serological tests measured antibodies against phenolic glycolipid-I or synthetic derivatives thereof, either quantitatively (ELISA or UCP-LFA) or qualitatively (ML-flow or NDO-LID rapid test). The median seroprevalence in children in endemic areas was 14.9% and was stable over time if disease incidence remained unchanged. Importantly, seroprevalence decreased with age, indicating that children are a suitable group for sensitive assessment of recent M. leprae infection. However, direct comparison between areas, solely based on the data reported in these studies, was impeded by the use of different tests and variable cut-off levels. CONCLUSIONS Quantitative anti-PGL-I serology in young children holds promise as a screening test to assess M. leprae infection and may be applied as a proxy for transmission and thereby as a means to monitor the effect of (prophylactic) interventions on the route to leprosy elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Pierneef
- Dept. Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anouk van Hooij
- Dept. Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Raisa Rumbaut
- National Leprosy Program, Ministry of Public Health of Cuba, Havana, Cuba
| | - Mauricio Lisboa Nobre
- Giselda Trigueiro Hospital and Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | - Annemieke Geluk
- Dept. Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Menaldi SL, Dinakrisma AA, Thio HB, Rengganis I, Oktaria S. Unusual presentations of a severe type 2 leprosy reaction mimicking sepsis induced by helminth infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009453. [PMID: 34314436 PMCID: PMC8315541 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe an unusual case of type 2 leprosy reaction (T2R) with septic shock–like features induced by helminth infection in a 31-year-old Moluccan male patient with a history of completed treatment of WHO multidrug therapy (MDT)–multibacillary (MB) regimen 2 years before admission. During the course of illness, the patient had numerous complications, including septic shock, anemia, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Nevertheless, antibiotic therapies failed to give significant results, and the source of infection could not be identified. Helminth infection was subsequently revealed by endoscopic examination followed by parasitological culture. Resolution of symptoms and normal level of organ function–specific markers were resolved within 3 days following anthelmintic treatment. This report demonstrated the challenge in the diagnosis and treatment of severe T2R. Given that helminth infections may trigger severe T2R that mimics septic shock, health professionals need to be aware of this clinical presentation, especially in endemic regions of both diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sri Linuwih Menaldi
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- * E-mail: (SLM); (IR)
| | | | - Hok Bing Thio
- Department of Dermatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Iris Rengganis
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- * E-mail: (SLM); (IR)
| | - Salma Oktaria
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Department of Dermatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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18
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Sahu S, Sharma K, Sharma M, Narang T, Dogra S, Minz RW, Chhabra S. Neutrophil NETworking in ENL: Potential as a Putative Biomarker: Future Insights. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:697804. [PMID: 34336901 PMCID: PMC8316588 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.697804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), also known as type 2 reaction (T2R) is an immune complex mediated (type III hypersensitivity) reactional state encountered in patients with borderline lepromatous and lepromatous leprosy (BL and LL) either before, during, or after the institution of anti-leprosy treatment (ALT). The consequences of ENL may be serious, leading to permanent nerve damage and deformities, constituting a major cause of leprosy-related morbidity. The incidence of ENL is increasing with the increasing number of multibacillary cases. Although the diagnosis of ENL is not difficult to make for physicians involved in the care of leprosy patients, its management continues to be a most challenging aspect of the leprosy eradication program: the chronic and recurrent painful skin lesions, neuritis, and organ involvement necessitates prolonged treatment with prednisolone, thalidomide, and anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs, which further adds to the existing morbidity. In addition, the use of immunosuppressants like methotrexate, azathioprine, cyclosporine, or biologics carries a risk of reactivation of persisters (Mycobacterium leprae), apart from their own end-organ toxicities. Most ENL therapeutic guidelines are primarily designed for acute episodes and there is scarcity of literature on management of patients with chronic and recurrent ENL. It is difficult to predict which patients will develop chronic or recurrent ENL and plan the treatment accordingly. We need simple point-of-care or ELISA-based tests from blood or skin biopsy samples, which can help us in identifying patients who are likely to require prolonged treatment and also inform us about the prognosis of reactions so that appropriate therapy may be started and continued for better ENL control in such patients. There is a significant unmet need for research for better understanding the immunopathogenesis of, and biomarkers for, ENL to improve clinical stratification and therapeutics. In this review we will discuss the potential of neutrophils (polymorphonuclear granulocytes) as putative diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers by virtue of their universal abundance in human blood, functional versatility, phenotypic heterogeneity, metabolic plasticity, differential hierarchical cytoplasmic granule mobilization, and their ability to form NETs (neutrophil extracellular traps). We will touch upon the various aspects of neutrophil biology relevant to ENL pathophysiology in a step-wise manner. We also hypothesize about an element of metabolic reprogramming of neutrophils by M. leprae that could be investigated and exploited for biomarker discovery. In the end, a potential role for neutrophil derived exosomes as a novel biomarker for ENL will also be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smrity Sahu
- Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Keshav Sharma
- Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Maryada Sharma
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Tarun Narang
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Sunil Dogra
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ranjana Walker Minz
- Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Seema Chhabra
- Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Sivasankari M, Sinha P, Sunita BS, Awasthi S. A Case of Histoid Leprosy Presenting as Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS) in a Patient of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection on Highly Active Retroviral Therapy (HAART). Indian Dermatol Online J 2021; 12:441-443. [PMID: 34211913 PMCID: PMC8202485 DOI: 10.4103/idoj.idoj_417_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M Sivasankari
- Department of Dermatology, Military Hospital Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Preema Sinha
- Department of Dermatology, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - B S Sunita
- Department of Pathology, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shivali Awasthi
- Department of Pathology, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India
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20
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van Hooij A, Geluk A. In search of biomarkers for leprosy by unraveling the host immune response to Mycobacterium leprae. Immunol Rev 2021; 301:175-192. [PMID: 33709405 PMCID: PMC8251784 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, is still actively transmitted in endemic areas reflected by the fairly stable number of new cases detected each year. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of leprosy is challenging, especially at an early stage. Improved diagnostic tools, based on sensitive and specific biomarkers, that facilitate diagnosis of leprosy are therefore urgently needed. In this review, we address the challenges that leprosy biomarker research is facing by reviewing cell types reported to be involved in host immunity to M leprae. These cell types can be associated with different possible fates of M leprae infection being either protective immunity, or pathogenic immune responses inducing nerve damage. Unraveling these responses will facilitate the search for biomarkers. Implications for further studies to disentangle the complex interplay between host responses that lead to leprosy disease are discussed, providing leads for the identification of new biomarkers to improve leprosy diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouk van Hooij
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke Geluk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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21
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Fevereiro J, Fraga AG, Pedrosa J. Genetics in the Host-Mycobacterium ulcerans interaction. Immunol Rev 2021; 301:222-241. [PMID: 33682158 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Buruli ulcer is an emerging infectious disease associated with high morbidity and unpredictable outbreaks. It is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, a slow-growing pathogen evolutionarily shaped by the acquisition of a plasmid involved in the production of a potent macrolide-like cytotoxin and by genome rearrangements and downsizing. These events culminated in an uncommon infection pattern, whereby M. ulcerans is both able to induce the initiation of the inflammatory cascade and the cell death of its proponents, as well as to survive within the phagosome and in the extracellular milieu. In such extreme conditions, the host is sentenced to rely on a highly orchestrated genetic landscape to be able to control the infection. We here revisit the dynamics of M. ulcerans infection, drawing parallels from other mycobacterioses and integrating the most recent knowledge on its evolution and pathogenicity in its interaction with the host immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Fevereiro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Alexandra G Fraga
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Jorge Pedrosa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
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22
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Adams LB. Susceptibility and resistance in leprosy: Studies in the mouse model. Immunol Rev 2021; 301:157-174. [PMID: 33660297 PMCID: PMC8252540 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease caused by the pathogen, Mycobacterium leprae, and the more recently discovered, M. lepromatosis. Described in 1873, M. leprae was among the first microorganisms to be proposed as a cause of a human infectious disease. As an obligate intracellular bacterium, it has still not thus far been reproducibly cultivated in axenic medium or cell cultures. Shepard's mouse footpad assay, therefore, was truly a breakthrough in leprosy research. The generation of immunosuppressed and genetically engineered mice, along with advances in molecular and cellular techniques, has since offered more tools for the study of the M. leprae–induced granuloma. While far from perfect, these new mouse models have provided insights into the immunoregulatory mechanisms responsible for the spectrum of this complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda B Adams
- Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Healthcare Systems Bureau, National Hansen's Disease Programs Laboratory Research Branch, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
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23
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Demangel C. Immunity against Mycobacterium ulcerans: The subversive role of mycolactone. Immunol Rev 2021; 301:209-221. [PMID: 33607704 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mycobacterium ulcerans causes Buruli ulcer, a neglected tropical skin disease manifesting as chronic wounds that can leave victims with major, life-long deformity and disability. Differently from other mycobacterial pathogens, M ulcerans produces mycolactone, a diffusible lipid factor with unique cytotoxic and immunomodulatory properties. Both traits result from mycolactone targeting Sec61, the entry point of the secretory pathway in eukaryotic cells. By inhibiting Sec61, mycolactone prevents the host cell's production of secreted proteins, and most of its transmembrane proteins. This molecular blockade dramatically alters the functions of immune cells, thereby the generation of protective immunity. Moreover, sustained inhibition of Sec61 triggers proteotoxic stress responses leading to apoptotic cell death, which can stimulate vigorous immune responses. The dynamics of bacterial production of mycolactone and elimination by infected hosts thus critically determine the balance between its immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive effects. Following an introduction summarizing the essential information on Buruli ulcer disease, this review focuses on the current state of knowledge regarding mycolactone's regulation and biodistribution. We then detail the consequences of mycolactone-mediated Sec61 blockade on initiation and maintenance of innate and adaptive immune responses. Finally, we discuss the key questions to address in order to improve immunity to M ulcerans, and how increased knowledge of mycolactone biology may pave the way to innovative therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Demangel
- Immunobiology of Infection Unit, INSERM U1221, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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24
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Abstract
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a disease caused by the betacoronavirus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has only recently emerged, while Mycobacterium leprae, the etiological agent of leprosy, has endured for more than 2,000 years. As soon as the initial reports of COVID-19 became public, several entities, including the Brazilian Leprosy Society, warned about the possible impact of COVID-19 on leprosy patients. It has been verified that COVID-19 carriers can be either asymptomatic or present varying degrees of severe respiratory failure in association with cytokine storm and death, among other diseases. Severe COVID-19 patients show increased numbers of neutrophils and serum neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) markers, in addition to alterations in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). The absence of antiviral drugs and the speed of COVID-19 transmission have had a major impact on public health systems worldwide, leading to the almost total collapse of many national and local healthcare services. Leprosy, an infectious neurological and dermatological illness, is widely considered to be the most frequent cause of physical disabilities globally. The chronic clinical course of the disease may be interrupted by acute inflammatory episodes, named leprosy reactions. These serious immunological complications, characterized by cytokine storms, are responsible for amplifying peripheral nerve damage. From 30% to 40% of all multibacillary leprosy (MB) patients experience erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), a neutrophilic immune-mediated condition. ENL patients often present these same COVID-19-like symptoms, including high levels of serum NET markers, altered NLR, and neutrophilia. Moreover, the consequences of a M. leprae-SARS-CoV-2 coinfection have yet to be fully investigated. The goal of the present viewpoint is to describe some of the similarities that may be found between COVID-19 and leprosy disease in the context of neutrophilic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Schmitz
- Laboratório de Hanseníase, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Brandão dos Santos
- Laboratório de Hanseníase, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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van Hooij A, Tjon Kon Fat EM, de Jong D, Khatun M, Soren S, Chowdhury AS, Chandra Roy J, Alam K, Kim JP, Richardus JH, Geluk A, Corstjens PLAM. Prototype multi-biomarker test for point-of-care leprosy diagnostics. iScience 2020; 24:102006. [PMID: 33490914 PMCID: PMC7807156 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.102006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
To end the decade-long, obstinately stagnant number of new leprosy cases, there is an urgent need for field-applicable diagnostic tools that detect infection with Mycobacterium leprae, leprosy's etiologic agent. Since immunity against M. leprae is characterized by humoral and cellular markers, we developed a lateral flow test measuring multiple host proteins based on six previously identified biomarkers for various leprosy phenotypes. This multi-biomarker test (MBT) demonstrated feasibility of quantitative detection of six host serum proteins simultaneously, jointly allowing discrimination of patients with multibacillary and paucibacillary leprosy from control individuals in high and low leprosy endemic areas. Pilot testing of fingerstick blood showed similar MBT performance in point-of-care (POC) settings as observed for plasma and serum. Thus, this newly developed prototype MBT measures six biomarkers covering immunity against M. leprae across the leprosy spectrum. The MBT thereby provides the basis for immunodiagnostic POC tests for leprosy with potential for other (infectious) diseases as well. Prototype MBT that quantitatively detects six host-derived biomarkers is developed The immunopathological spectrum of leprosy is ideally suited to evaluate the MBT MBT discriminated patients with leprosy from controls in a high and non-endemic area Application of the MBT using low invasive fingerstick blood is technically feasible
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouk van Hooij
- Department of Infectious Diseases Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Elisa M Tjon Kon Fat
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Danielle de Jong
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Marufa Khatun
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Santosh Soren
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Abu Sufian Chowdhury
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Johan Chandra Roy
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Khorshed Alam
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Jong-Pill Kim
- Institute for Leprosy Research, Korean Hansen Welfare Association, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Jan Hendrik Richardus
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Annemieke Geluk
- Department of Infectious Diseases Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Paul L A M Corstjens
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
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Grossi de Oliveira AL, Chaves AT, Santos Cardoso M, Gomide Pinheiro GR, Parreiras de Jesus AC, de Faria Grossi MA, Lyon S, Lacerda Bueno L, da Costa Rocha MO, Toshio Fujiwara R, Alves da Silva Menezes C. Hypovitaminosis D and reduced cathelicidin are strongly correlated during the multidrug therapy against leprosy. Microb Pathog 2020; 147:104373. [PMID: 32645421 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Mycobacterium leprae infection depends on the competence of the host immune defense to induce effective protection against this intracellular pathogen. The present study investigated the serum levels of vitamin D and the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin, to determine the statistical correlation between them in leprosy patients before and post-six months of multidrug therapy (MDT), household contacts, and healthy individuals. Previous studies associated these molecules with high risks to develop mycobacterial diseases, such as tuberculosis and leprosy. A total of 34 leprosy patients [paucibacillary (n = 14), multibacillary (n = 20)], and 25 household contacts were recruited. Eighteen healthy adults were selected as a control group. Serum concentrations of vitamin D (25(OH)VD3) and cathelicidin were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit, respectively. There were no significant differences in serum levels of 25(OH)VD3 between all groups, and the overall prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency was 67.1%. Cathelicidin levels were significantly lower in both untreated and treated patients when compared to controls and household contacts (p < 0.05). Strong correlations between hypovitaminosis D and reduced cathelicidin in untreated (r = 0.86) and post-six months of MDT (r = 0.79) leprosy patients were observed. These results suggest that vitamin D status and cathelicidin levels are strongly correlated during multidrug therapy for leprosy and nutritional supplementation from the beginning of treatment could strengthen the immune response against leprosy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ana Thereza Chaves
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Mariana Santos Cardoso
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Sandra Lyon
- Hospital Eduardo de Menezes, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lilian Lacerda Bueno
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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27
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Röltgen K, Pluschke G, Spencer JS, Brennan PJ, Avanzi C. The immunology of other mycobacteria: M. ulcerans, M. leprae. Semin Immunopathol 2020; 42:333-353. [PMID: 32100087 PMCID: PMC7224112 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-020-00790-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mycobacterial pathogens can be categorized into three broad groups: Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex causing tuberculosis, M. leprae and M. lepromatosis causing leprosy, and atypical mycobacteria, or non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), responsible for a wide range of diseases. Among the NTMs, M. ulcerans is responsible for the neglected tropical skin disease Buruli ulcer (BU). Most pathogenic mycobacteria, including M. leprae, evade effector mechanisms of the humoral immune system by hiding and replicating inside host cells and are furthermore excellent modulators of host immune responses. In contrast, M. ulcerans replicates predominantly extracellularly, sheltered from host immune responses through the cytotoxic and immunosuppressive effects of mycolactone, a macrolide produced by the bacteria. In the year 2018, 208,613 new cases of leprosy and 2713 new cases of BU were reported to WHO, figures which are notoriously skewed by vast underreporting of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Röltgen
- Department of Pathology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Gerd Pluschke
- Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - John Stewart Spencer
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Patrick Joseph Brennan
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Charlotte Avanzi
- Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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28
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Doz-Deblauwe É, Carreras F, Arbues A, Remot A, Epardaud M, Malaga W, Mayau V, Prandi J, Astarie-Dequeker C, Guilhot C, Demangel C, Winter N. CR3 Engaged by PGL-I Triggers Syk-Calcineurin-NFATc to Rewire the Innate Immune Response in Leprosy. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2913. [PMID: 31921172 PMCID: PMC6928039 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, is unique amongst human pathogens in its capacity to produce the virulence factor phenolic glycolipid (PGL)-I. In addition to mediating bacterial tropism for neurons, PGL-I interacts with Complement Receptor (CR)3 on macrophages (MPs) to promote infection. We demonstrate here that PGL-I binding to CR3 also enhances bacterial invasion of both polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and dendritic cells (DCs). Moreover, in all cell types CR3 engagement by PGL-I activates the Syk tyrosine kinase, inducing calcineurin-dependent nuclear translocation of the transcription factor NFATc. This selectively augments the production of IL-2 by DCs, IL-10 by PMNs and IL-1β by MPs. In intranasally-infected mice PGL-I binding to CR3 heightens mycobacterial phagocytosis by lung PMNs and MPs, and stimulates NFATc-controlled production of Syk-dependent cytokines. Our study thus identifies the CR3-Syk-NFATc axis as a novel signaling pathway activated by PGL-I in innate immune cells, rewiring host cytokine responses to M. leprae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Émilie Doz-Deblauwe
- ISP, Infectiologie et Santé Publique, INRA, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Florence Carreras
- ISP, Infectiologie et Santé Publique, INRA, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Ainhoa Arbues
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, BP 64182, Toulouse, France
| | - Aude Remot
- ISP, Infectiologie et Santé Publique, INRA, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Mathieu Epardaud
- ISP, Infectiologie et Santé Publique, INRA, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Wladimir Malaga
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, BP 64182, Toulouse, France
| | - Véronique Mayau
- Immunobiologie de l'Infection, Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1221, Paris, France
| | - Jacques Prandi
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, BP 64182, Toulouse, France
| | - Catherine Astarie-Dequeker
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, BP 64182, Toulouse, France
| | - Christophe Guilhot
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, BP 64182, Toulouse, France
| | - Caroline Demangel
- Immunobiologie de l'Infection, Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1221, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Winter
- ISP, Infectiologie et Santé Publique, INRA, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
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Whole blood RNA signatures in leprosy patients identify reversal reactions before clinical onset: a prospective, multicenter study. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17931. [PMID: 31784594 PMCID: PMC6884598 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54213-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Early diagnosis of leprosy is challenging, particularly its inflammatory reactions, the major cause of irreversible neuropathy in leprosy. Current diagnostics cannot identify which patients are at risk of developing reactions. This study assessed blood RNA expression levels as potential biomarkers for leprosy. Prospective cohorts of newly diagnosed leprosy patients, including reactions, and healthy controls were recruited in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia and Nepal. RNA expression in 1,090 whole blood samples was determined for 103 target genes for innate and adaptive immune profiling by dual color Reverse-Transcription Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (dcRT-MLPA) followed by cluster analysis. We identified transcriptomic biomarkers associated with leprosy disease, different leprosy phenotypes as well as high exposure to Mycobacterium leprae which respectively allow improved diagnosis and classification of leprosy patients and detection of infection. Importantly, a transcriptomic signature of risk for reversal reactions consisting of five genes (CCL2, CD8A, IL2, IL15 and MARCO) was identified based on cross-sectional comparison of RNA expression. In addition, intra-individual longitudinal analyses of leprosy patients before, during and after treatment of reversal reactions, indicated that several IFN-induced genes increased significantly at onset of reaction whereas IL15 decreased. This multi-site study, situated in four leprosy endemic areas, demonstrates the potential of host transcriptomic biomarkers as correlates of risk for leprosy. Importantly, a prospective five-gene signature for reversal reactions could predict reversal reactions at least 2 weeks before onset. Thus, transcriptomic biomarkers provide promise for early detection of these acute inflammatory episodes and thereby help prevent permanent neuropathy and disability in leprosy patients.
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Semenova VG, Karamova AE, Nefyodova MA, Chebotarev VV, Zemtsov MA, Odinets AV, Shikhanova EN, Chumakova ES. A case of borderline tuberculoid leprosy with atypical and complicated manifestations. VESTNIK DERMATOLOGII I VENEROLOGII 2019. [DOI: 10.25208/0042-4609-2019-95-4-67-78] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
This article presents a clinical case of a 52-year-old man suffering from oligobacillary border-tuberculoid leprosy in the acute phase associated with an established diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and hepatitis C.Aim: to present a clinical case of leprosy with atypical and complicated manifestations.Materials and methods. A 52-year-old patient had been receiving treatment for allergic dermatitis for a long time.Results. The patient was diagnosed with: A 30.2. Borderline tuberculoid leprosy (Paucibacillary Leprosy, Borderline tuberculoid form. Acute phase). The patient demonstrated atypical complications of the leprosy process in the form of ulcerative necrotic rashes.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. G. Semenova
- State Research Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
| | - A. E. Karamova
- State Research Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
| | - M. A. Nefyodova
- State Research Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
| | - V. V. Chebotarev
- Stavropol State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
| | - M. A. Zemtsov
- Regional Clinical Dermatovenerologic Dispensary of Stavropol Krai
| | - A. V. Odinets
- Regional Clinical Dermatovenerologic Dispensary of Stavropol Krai
| | - E. N. Shikhanova
- Regional Clinical Dermatovenerologic Dispensary of Stavropol Krai
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Agarwal RG, Sharma P, Nyati KK. microRNAs in Mycobacterial Infection: Modulation of Host Immune Response and Apoptotic Pathways. Immune Netw 2019; 19:e30. [PMID: 31720041 PMCID: PMC6829074 DOI: 10.4110/in.2019.19.e30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Our current knowledge of mycobacterial infections in humans has progressively increased over the past few decades. The infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis (TB) disease, which has reasoned for excessive morbidity and mortality worldwide, and has become a foremost issue of health problem globally. Mycobacterium leprae, another member of the family Mycobacteriaceae, is responsible for causing a chronic disease known as leprosy that mainly affects mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, skin, peripheral nerves, and eyes. Ample amount of existing data suggests that pathogenic mycobacteria have skilled in utilizing different mechanisms to escape or offset the host immune responses. They hijack the machinery of immune cells through the modulation of microRNAs (miRs), which regulate gene expression and immune responses of the host. Evidence shows that miRs have now gained considerable attention in the research, owing to their involvement in a broad range of inflammatory processes that are further implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases. However, the knowledge of functions of miRs during mycobacterial infections remains limited. This review summarises recent findings of differential expression of miRs, which are used to good advantage by mycobacteria in offsetting host immune responses generated against them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riddhi Girdhar Agarwal
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur 342005, India
| | - Praveen Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur 342005, India
| | - Kishan Kumar Nyati
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur 342005, India
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Richardus R, Alam K, Kundu K, Chandra Roy J, Zafar T, Chowdhury AS, Nieboer D, Faber R, Butlin CR, Geluk A, Richardus JH. Effectiveness of single-dose rifampicin after BCG vaccination to prevent leprosy in close contacts of patients with newly diagnosed leprosy: A cluster randomized controlled trial. Int J Infect Dis 2019; 88:65-72. [PMID: 31499206 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2019.08.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the effectiveness of single-dose rifampicin (SDR) after bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination in preventing leprosy in contacts. METHODS This was a single-centre, cluster-randomized controlled trial at a leprosy control programme in northwest Bangladesh. Participants were the 14988 contacts of 1552 new leprosy patients who were randomized into the SDR-arm (n=7379) and the SDR+arm (n=7609). In the intervention group, BCG vaccination was followed by SDR 8-12 weeks later. In the control group, BCG vaccination only was given. Follow-up was performed at 1year and 2 years after intake. The main outcome measure was the occurrence of leprosy. RESULTS The incidence rate per 10000 person-years at risk was 44 in the SDR-arm and 31 in the SDR+arm at 1year; the incidence rate was 34 in the SDR-arm and 41 in the SDR+arm at 2 years. There was a statistically non-significant (p=0.148; 42%) reduction for paucibacillary (PB) leprosy in the SDR+ arm at 1 year. Of all new cases, 33.6% appeared within 8-12 weeks after BCG vaccination. CONCLUSIONS In the first year, SDR after BCG vaccination reduced the incidence of PB leprosy among contacts by 42%. This was a statistically non-significant reduction due to the limited number of cases after SDR was administered. To what extent SDR suppresses excess leprosy cases after BCG vaccination is difficult to establish because many cases appeared before the SDR intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION Netherlands Trial Register: NTR3087.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renate Richardus
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Khorshed Alam
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Kallyan Kundu
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Johan Chandra Roy
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Tasnuva Zafar
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Abu Sufian Chowdhury
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Daan Nieboer
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Roel Faber
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C Ruth Butlin
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Annemieke Geluk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Hendrik Richardus
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Corstjens PLAM, van Hooij A, Tjon Kon Fat EM, Alam K, Vrolijk LB, Dlamini S, da Silva MB, Spencer JS, Salgado CG, Richardus JH, van Hees CLM, Geluk A. Fingerstick test quantifying humoral and cellular biomarkers indicative for M. leprae infection. Clin Biochem 2019; 66:76-82. [PMID: 30695682 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2019.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES New user-friendly diagnostic tests for detection of individuals infected by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae), the causative pathogen of leprosy, can help guide therapeutic and prophylactic treatment, thus positively contributing to clinical outcome and reduction of transmission. To facilitate point-of-care testing without the presence of phlebotomists, the use of fingerstick blood (FSB) rather than whole blood-derived serum is preferred. This study is a first proof-of-principle validating that previously described rapid serum tests detecting antibodies and cytokines can also be used with FSB. METHODS Quantitative detection of previously identified biomarkers for leprosy and M. leprae infection, anti-M. leprae PGL-I IgM antibodies (αPGL-I), IP-10 and CRP, was performed with lateral flow (LF) strips utilizing luminescent up-converting reporter particles (UCP) and a portable reader generating unbiased read-outs. Precise amounts of FSB samples were collected using disposable heparinized capillaries. Biomarker levels in paired FSB and serum samples were determined using UCP-LF test strips for leprosy patients and controls in Bangladesh, Brazil, South-Africa and the Netherlands. RESULTS Correlations between serum and FSB from the same individuals for αPGL-I, CRP and IP-10 were highly significant (p < .0001) even after FSB samples had been frozen. The αPGL-I FSB test was able to correctly identify all multibacillary leprosy patients presenting a good quantitative correlation with the bacterial index. CONCLUSIONS Reader-assisted, quantitative UCP-LF tests for the detection of humoral and cellular biomarkers for M. leprae infection, are compatible with FSB. This allows near-patient testing for M. leprae infection and immunomonitoring of treatment without highly trained staff. On site availability of test-result concedes immediate initiation of appropriate counselling and treatment. Alternatively, the UCP-LF format allows frozen storage of FSB samples compatible with deferred testing in central laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul L A M Corstjens
- Dept. Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Anouk van Hooij
- Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Elisa M Tjon Kon Fat
- Dept. Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Korshed Alam
- Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
| | - Loes B Vrolijk
- Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands; Division of Dermatology, New Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sipho Dlamini
- Division of Dermatology, New Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Moises Batista da Silva
- Laboratório de Dermato-Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Marituba, Pará, Brazil
| | - John S Spencer
- Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA
| | - Claudio G Salgado
- Laboratório de Dermato-Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Marituba, Pará, Brazil
| | - Jan Hendrik Richardus
- Dept. of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Colette L M van Hees
- Dept. of Dermatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke Geluk
- Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
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Sardana K, Sinha S, Agrawal D, Malhotra P, Lavania M, Ahuja M. Multidrug resistance as a cause of steroid-nonresponsive downgrading type I reaction in Hansen's disease. Int J Mycobacteriol 2019; 8:305-308. [DOI: 10.4103/ijmy.ijmy_121_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Ottenhoff THM. Correlates of vaccine adjuvanticity, vaccine activity, protective immunity and disease in human infectious disease and cancer. Semin Immunol 2018; 39:1-3. [PMID: 30318307 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tom H M Ottenhoff
- Dept. Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300RC, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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