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Cytokine Response Profiles of School-Aged Children Infected with Schistosomiasis before and after Praziquantel Treatment. J Trop Med 2021; 2021:6678981. [PMID: 34239575 PMCID: PMC8233078 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6678981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that affects millions of people in 78 countries globally. Children under the age of 14, who have the chronic disease may suffer from anemia and malnutrition that contribute to lost days at school and pervasive learning disabilities. The infection is prevalent in Kenya, especially in endemic areas, contributing to significant morbidity. The cellular response pattern is associated with both the acute and chronic phases of the disease, in which cytokines play a critical role. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytokine profiles of IL-4, IL-2, IL-10, IL-5, IFN-γ, and TNF in serum samples of infected school-aged children by using flow cytometry before and after treatment. The analysis indicated a shift in the expression of the cytokines after treatment with all the cytokines being downregulated, except TNF. There was a general trend of decrease in the expression of the cytokines at six and twelve weeks after treatment as compared to the pretreatment levels. There were statistically significant differences in the expression in IL-2 (P=0.001∗∗), IL-4 (P=0.033∗), IL-10 (P=0.001∗∗∗), IFN-γ (P=0.023∗), and IL-5 (P=0.0001∗∗∗), except in TNF (P=0.095). The reduction in the cytokine levels can be directly related to the influence of the drug praziquantel, modulating the cytokine response by elimination of adult worms, decline in parasitic load, and reduction of morbidity. Therefore, cytokine response is directly related with the influence of treatment in the variation of the immune response.
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Pearson MS, Becker L, Driguez P, Young ND, Gaze S, Mendes T, Li XH, Doolan DL, Midzi N, Mduluza T, McManus DP, Wilson RA, Bethony JM, Nausch N, Mutapi F, Felgner PL, Loukas A. Of monkeys and men: immunomic profiling of sera from humans and non-human primates resistant to schistosomiasis reveals novel potential vaccine candidates. Front Immunol 2015; 6:213. [PMID: 25999951 PMCID: PMC4419842 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosoma haematobium affects more than 100 million people throughout Africa and is the causative agent of urogenital schistosomiasis. The parasite is strongly associated with urothelial cancer in infected individuals and as such is designated a group I carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Using a protein microarray containing schistosome proteins, we sought to identify antigens that were the targets of protective IgG1 immune responses in S. haematobium-exposed individuals that acquire drug-induced resistance (DIR) to schistosomiasis after praziquantel treatment. Numerous antigens with known vaccine potential were identified, including calpain (Smp80), tetraspanins, glutathione-S-transferases, and glucose transporters (SGTP1), as well as previously uncharacterized proteins. Reactive IgG1 responses were not elevated in exposed individuals who did not acquire DIR. To complement our human subjects study, we screened for antigen targets of rhesus macaques rendered resistant to S. japonicum by experimental infection followed by self-cure, and discovered a number of new and known vaccine targets, including major targets recognized by our human subjects. This study has further validated the immunomics-based approach to schistosomiasis vaccine antigen discovery and identified numerous novel potential vaccine antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Pearson
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University , Cairns, QLD , Australia
| | - Luke Becker
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University , Cairns, QLD , Australia
| | - Patrick Driguez
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane, QLD , Australia
| | - Neil D Young
- University of Melbourne , Melbourne, VIC , Australia
| | - Soraya Gaze
- Centro de Pesquisas Rene Rachou, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation , Belo Horizonte , Brazil
| | - Tiago Mendes
- Federal University of Minas Gerais , Belo Horizonte , Brazil
| | - Xiao-Hong Li
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases , Shanghai , China
| | - Denise L Doolan
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane, QLD , Australia
| | - Nicholas Midzi
- National Institutes of Health Research , Harare , Zimbabwe
| | - Takafira Mduluza
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zimbabwe , Harare , Zimbabwe
| | - Donald P McManus
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Brisbane, QLD , Australia
| | - R Alan Wilson
- Department of Biology, University of York , York , UK
| | - Jeffrey M Bethony
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University , Washington, DC , USA
| | | | | | | | - Alex Loukas
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University , Cairns, QLD , Australia
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Mduluza T, Midzi N, Duruza D, Ndebele P. Study participants incentives, compensation and reimbursement in resource-constrained settings. BMC Med Ethics 2013; 14 Suppl 1:S4. [PMID: 24564948 PMCID: PMC3878327 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6939-14-s1-s4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Controversies still exists within the research fraternity on the form and level of incentives, compensation and reimbursement to study participants in resource-constrained settings. While most research activities contribute significantly to advancement of mankind, little has been considered in rewarding directly the research participants from resource-constrained areas. METHODS A study was conducted in Zimbabwe to investigate views and expectations of various stakeholders on study participation incentives, compensation and reimbursement issues. Data was collected using various methods including a survey of about 1,008 parents/guardians of school children participating in various immunological cohort studies and parasitology surveys. Community advisory boards (CABs) at 9 of the sites were also consulted. Further, information was gathered during discussions held at a basic research ethics training workshop. The workshop had 45 participants that including 40 seasoned Zimbabwean researchers and 5 international research collaborators. RESULTS About 90% (907) of the study participants and guardians expected compensation of reasonable value, in view of the researchers' value and comparison to other sites regardless of economic status of the community. During discussion with researchers at a basic ethics training workshop, about 80% (32) believed that decisions on level of compensation should be determined by the local research ethics committees. While, the few international research collaborators were of the opinion that compensation should be in accordance with local guidelines, and incentives should be in line with funding. Both the CAB members and study participants expressed that there should be a clear distinction between study incentive and compensation accorded to individual and community expectations on benefits from studies. However, CABs expressed that their suggestions on incentives and compensation are often moderated by the regulatory authorities who cite fear of unknown concerns. CONCLUSION Overall, both personal and community benefits need to be considered collectively in future studies to be conducted in resource-constrained communities. There is projected fear that recruitment in future may be a challenge, now that almost every community, has somehow been reached and participated in some form of studies. A major concern on reimbursement, compensation or incentives should be internationally pegged regardless of different economic status of the individuals or communities where the study is to be conducted.
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