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Acheampong I, Minadzi D, Laing EF, Frimpong M, Vivekanandan MM, Yeboah A, Adankwah E, Aniagyei W, Arthur JF, Lamptey M, Abass MK, Kumbel F, Osei-Yeboah F, Gawusu A, Debrah LB, Owusu DO, Debrah A, Mayatepek E, Seyfarth J, Phillips RO, Jacobsen M. Differences in PPD- and mitogen-induced T-cell activation marker expression characterize immunopathology in acute tuberculosis patients. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 43:611-616. [PMID: 38167987 PMCID: PMC10917863 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-023-04741-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Impaired T-cell responses to mitogens and high T-cell activation marker (TAM) expression on Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific T-cells characterize immunopathology in patients with tuberculosis (TB). In a study of patients with TB (n = 60) and asymptomatic contacts (controls, n = 37), we found that TB patients had higher CD38+ T-cell proportions specific for M. tuberculosis protein (PPDMtb), yet total proportions of PPDMtb-specific T-cells were comparable. Notably, both activated (CD38+) and total IFN-γ+ T-cells from TB patients had lower mitogen (phytohemagglutinin, PHA)-induced responses. This impaired mitogen response improved the classification efficacy of the TAM-TB assay, especially employing the PPD/PHA-induced T-cell ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Acheampong
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
- Department of Medical Diagnostics, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Difery Minadzi
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Edwin F Laing
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Michael Frimpong
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Augustine Yeboah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ernest Adankwah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
- Department of Medical Diagnostics, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Wilfred Aniagyei
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Joseph F Arthur
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Millicent Lamptey
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | | | | | - Amidu Gawusu
- Sene West Health Directorate, Kwame Danso, Ghana
| | - Linda Batsa Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Dorcas O Owusu
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Alexander Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ertan Mayatepek
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Julia Seyfarth
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Richard O Phillips
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Marc Jacobsen
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany.
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Acheampong I, Minadzi D, Adankwah E, Aniagyei W, Vivekanandan MM, Yeboah A, Arthur JF, Lamptey M, Abass MK, Kumbel F, Osei-Yeboah F, Gawusu A, Laing EF, Batsa Debrah L, Owusu DO, Debrah A, Mayatepek E, Seyfarth J, Phillips RO, Jacobsen M. Diminished Interleukin-7 receptor expression on T-cell subsets in tuberculosis patients. Hum Immunol 2023; 84:543-550. [PMID: 37580215 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2023.08.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Immunopathology in human tuberculosis affects T-cell phenotype and functions. Previous studies identified impaired T-cell sensitivity to Interleukin (IL)-7 accompanied by lower IL-7 receptor α-chain (IL-7Rα) expression in patients with acute tuberculosis. In the present study, we characterized affected T-cell subsets and determined the influence of tuberculosis disease severity and treatment response. Tuberculosis patients (n = 89) as well as age- and gender-matched asymptomatic contacts (controls, n = 47) were recruited in Ghana. Mycobacterium (M.) tuberculosis sputum burden was monitored prior to and during treatment. Blood samples from all patients and controls were analyzed for IL-7Rα expression and T-cell markers by multi-colour flow cytometry. CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells of tuberculosis patients showed generally lower IL-7Rα expression as compared to controls. Concomitantly, tuberculosis patients had higher proportions of naïve and lower proportions of memory CD4+ T-cells. Notably, a subset of CD27 positive central memory T-cells (Tcm), which lacked IL-7Rα expression was enriched in tuberculosis patients as compared to controls. M. tuberculosis sputum burden was not associated with differences in IL-7Rα expression. Treatment duration and response showed no clear effects although IL-7Rα expression patterns were highly variable. These results suggested generally impaired generation of memory CD4+ T-cells and enrichment of a Tcm subset without IL-7Rα expression in patients with tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Acheampong
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Difery Minadzi
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ernest Adankwah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Wilfred Aniagyei
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Augustine Yeboah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Joseph F Arthur
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Millicent Lamptey
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | | | | | - Amidu Gawusu
- Sene West Health Directorate, Kwame Danso, Ghana
| | - Edwin F Laing
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Linda Batsa Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Dorcas O Owusu
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Alexander Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ertan Mayatepek
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Julia Seyfarth
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Richard O Phillips
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana; School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Marc Jacobsen
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
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3
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Ahor HS, Schulte R, Adankwah E, Harelimana JDD, Minadzi D, Acheampong I, Vivekanandan MM, Aniagyei W, Yeboah A, Arthur JF, Lamptey M, Abass MK, Kumbel F, Osei-Yeboah F, Gawusu A, Debrah LB, Owusu DO, Debrah A, Mayatepek E, Seyfarth J, Phillips RO, Jacobsen M. Monocyte pathology in human tuberculosis is due to plasma milieu changes and aberrant STAT signalling. Immunology 2023; 170:154-166. [PMID: 37219921 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Monocyte-derived macrophages contribute centrally to immune protection in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and changes in monocyte phenotype characterize immunopathology in tuberculosis patients. Recent studies highlighted an important role of the plasma milieu in tuberculosis immunopathology. Here, we investigated monocyte pathology in patients with acute tuberculosis and determined tuberculosis plasma milieu effects on phenotype as well as cytokine signalling of reference monocytes. Patients with tuberculosis (n = 37) and asymptomatic contacts (controls n = 35) were recruited as part of a hospital-based study in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Multiplex flow cytometry phenotyping of monocyte immunopathology was performed and effects of individual blood plasma samples on reference monocytes prior to and during treatment were characterized. Concomitantly, cell signalling pathways were analysed to elucidate underlying mechanisms of plasma effects on monocytes. Multiplex flow cytometry visualization characterized changes in monocyte subpopulations and detected higher expression of CD40, CD64 and PD-L1 in monocytes from tuberculosis patients as compared to controls. Aberrant expression normalized during anti-mycobacterial treatment and also CD33 expression decreased markedly. Notably, higher CD33, CD40 and CD64 expression was induced in reference monocytes when cultured in the presence of plasma samples from tuberculosis patients as compared to controls. STAT signalling pathways were affected by the aberrant plasma milieu and higher levels of STAT3 and STAT5 phosphorylation was found in tuberculosis plasma-treated reference monocytes. Importantly, high pSTAT3 levels were associated with high CD33 expression and pSTAT5 correlated with CD40 as well as CD64 expression. These results suggested plasma milieu effects with potential implications on monocyte phenotype and function in acute tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hubert Senanu Ahor
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Rebecca Schulte
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Ernest Adankwah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Jean De Dieu Harelimana
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Difery Minadzi
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Isaac Acheampong
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Wilfred Aniagyei
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Augustine Yeboah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Joseph F Arthur
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Millicent Lamptey
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | | | | | - Amidu Gawusu
- Sene West Health Directorate, Kwame Danso, Ghana
| | - Linda Batsa Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Dorcas O Owusu
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Alexander Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ertan Mayatepek
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Julia Seyfarth
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Richard O Phillips
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Marc Jacobsen
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
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Owusu DO, Adankwah E, Aniagyei W, Acheampong I, Minadzi D, Yeboah A, Arthur JF, Lamptey M, Vivekanandan MM, Abass MK, Kumbel F, Osei-Yeboah F, Gawusu A, Batsa Debrah L, Debrah A, Mayatepek E, Seyfarth J, Phillips RO, Jacobsen M. BCG-Vaccinated Children with Contact to Tuberculosis Patients Show Delayed Conversion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Specific IFN-γ Release. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11040855. [PMID: 37112767 PMCID: PMC10146292 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11040855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium (M.) bovis BCG vaccination is recommended for healthy babies after birth in several countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis, including Ghana. Previous studies showed that BCG vaccination prevents individuals from developing severe clinical manifestations of tuberculosis, but BCG vaccination effects on the induction of IFN-γ after M. tuberculosis infection have hardly been investigated. Here, we performed IFN-γ-based T-cell assays (i.e., IFN-γ Release Assay, IGRA; T-cell activation and maturation marker assay, TAM-TB) in children who had contact with index tuberculosis patients (contacts). These contacts were classified as either being BCG vaccinated at birth (n = 77) or non-BCG-vaccinated (n = 17) and were followed up at three timepoints for a period of one year to determine immune conversion after M. tuberculosis exposure and potential infection. At baseline and month 3, BCG-vaccinated contacts had significantly lower IFN-γ levels after stimulation with M. tuberculosis-specific proteins as compared to non-BCG-vaccinated contacts. This resulted in decreased proportions of positive IGRA results (BCG-vaccinated: 60% at baseline, 57% at month 3; non-BCG-vaccinated: 77% and 88%, respectively) at month 3. However, until month 12, immune conversion in BCG-vaccinated contacts led to balanced proportions in IGRA responders and IFN-γ expression between the study groups. TAM-TB assay analyses confirmed higher proportions of IFN-γ-positive T-cells in non-BCG-vaccinated contacts. Low proportions of CD38-positive M. tuberculosis-specific T-cells were only detected in non-BCG-vaccinated contacts at baseline. These results suggest that BCG vaccination causes delayed immune conversion as well as differences in the phenotype of M. tuberculosis-specific T-cells in BCG-vaccinated contacts of tuberculosis patients. These differences are immune biomarker candidates for protection against the development of severe clinical tuberculosis manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorcas O Owusu
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Ernest Adankwah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
- Department of Medical Diagnostics, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Wilfred Aniagyei
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Isaac Acheampong
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Difery Minadzi
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Augustine Yeboah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Joseph F Arthur
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Millicent Lamptey
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Monika M Vivekanandan
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | | | | | | | - Amidu Gawusu
- Sene West Health Directorate, Kwame Danso, Ghana
| | - Linda Batsa Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Alexander Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Ertan Mayatepek
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Julia Seyfarth
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Richard O Phillips
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Marc Jacobsen
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
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Vivekanandan MM, Adankwah E, Aniagyei W, Acheampong I, Yeboah A, Arthur JF, Lamptey MNK, Abass MK, Gawusu A, Kumbel F, Osei-Yeboah F, Debrah LB, Owusu DO, Debrah A, Mayatepek E, Seyfarth J, Phillips RO, Jacobsen M. Plasma cytokine levels characterize disease pathogenesis and treatment response in tuberculosis patients. Infection 2023; 51:169-179. [PMID: 35759173 PMCID: PMC9879809 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-022-01870-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mycobacterium (M.) tuberculosis-caused immunopathology is characterized by aberrant expression of plasma cytokines in human tuberculosis. Disease severity and long-term anti-mycobacterial treatment are potentially influenced by immunopathology and normalization of plasma cytokine levels during therapy may indicate treatment efficacy and recovery. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS In this study, we analyzed the concentrations of selected plasma cytokines (i.e., IL-6, IP-10, IL-10, IL-22, IFNγ, GM-CSF, IL-8) and M. tuberculosis sputum burden in patients with tuberculosis (n = 76). Cytokine levels were compared to healthy contacts (n = 40) and changes under treatment were monitored (i.e., 6 and 16 weeks after treatment start). According to differences in M. tuberculosis sputum burden and conversion, tuberculosis patients were classified as paucibacillary as well as 'rapid' or 'slow' treatment responders. A subgroup of tuberculosis patients had fatal disease courses. RESULTS Six of seven cytokines were significantly higher in tuberculosis patients as compared to contacts and four of these (i.e., IL-6, IP-10, IL-10, and IL-22) were detectable in the majority of tuberculosis patients. IL-6 showed the strongest discriminating capacity for tuberculosis disease and in combination with IL-10 concentrations efficiently classified paucibacillary tuberculosis cases as well as those with fatal disease outcome. In addition, IL-6 and IP-10 levels decreased significantly after 6 weeks of treatment and analyses of subgroups with differential treatment response showed delayed decline of IL-6 levels in slow treatment responders. CONCLUSIONS Combinations of different plasma cytokine (namely, IL-6, IL-10, and IP-10) efficiently classified tuberculosis patients with differential mycobacterial burden and especially IL-6 qualified as a biomarker candidate for early treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ernest Adankwah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Wilfred Aniagyei
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Isaac Acheampong
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Augustine Yeboah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Joseph F Arthur
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | | | - Amidu Gawusu
- Sene West Health Directorate, Kwame Danso, Ghana
| | | | | | - Linda Batsa Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Dorcas O Owusu
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Alexander Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ertan Mayatepek
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Julia Seyfarth
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Richard O Phillips
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana.,School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Marc Jacobsen
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany.
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6
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Vivekanandan MM, Adankwah E, Aniagyei W, Acheampong I, Minadzi D, Yeboah A, Arthur JF, Lamptey M, Abass MK, Kumbel F, Osei-Yeboah F, Gawusu A, Debrah LB, Owusu DO, Debrah A, Mayatepek E, Seyfarth J, Phillips RO, Jacobsen M. Impaired T-cell response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in tuberculosis patients is associated with high IL-6 plasma levels and normalizes early during anti-mycobacterial treatment. Infection 2023:10.1007/s15010-023-01977-1. [PMID: 36650358 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-023-01977-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Human tuberculosis is characterized by immunopathology that affects T-cell phenotype and functions. Previous studies found impaired T-cell response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in patients with acute tuberculosis. However, the influence of disease severity, affected T-cell subsets, and underlying mechanisms remain elusive. METHODS Here we investigated PHA-induced and antigen-specific T-cell effector cytokines in tuberculosis patients (n = 55) as well as in healthy asymptomatic contacts (n = 32) from Ghana. Effects of Mycobacterium (M.) tuberculosis sputum burden and treatment response were analyzed and compared during follow-up. Finally, cytokine characteristics of the aberrant plasma milieu in tuberculosis were analyzed as a potential cause for impaired PHA response. RESULTS PHA-induced IFN-γ expression was significantly lower in sputum-positive tuberculosis patients as compared to both, contacts and paucibacillary cases, and efficiently discriminated the study groups. T-cell responses to PHA increased significantly early during treatment and this was more pronounced in tuberculosis patients with rapid treatment response. Analysis of alternative cytokines revealed distinct patterns and IL-22, as well as IL-10, showed comparable expression to IFN-γ in response to PHA. Finally, we found that high IL-6 plasma levels were strongly associated with impaired IFN-γ and IL-22 response to PHA. CONCLUSION We conclude that impaired T-cell response to PHA stimulation in acute tuberculosis patients (i) was potentially caused by the aberrant plasma milieu, (ii) affected differentially polarized T-cell subsets, (iii) normalized early during treatment. This study shed light on the mechanisms of impaired T-cell functions in tuberculosis and yielded promising biomarker candidates for diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ernest Adankwah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
- Department of Medical Diagnostics, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Wilfred Aniagyei
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Isaac Acheampong
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Difery Minadzi
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Augustine Yeboah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Joseph F Arthur
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Millicent Lamptey
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | | | | | - Amidu Gawusu
- Sene West Health Directorate, Kwame Danso, Ghana
| | - Linda Batsa Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Dorcas O Owusu
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Alexander Debrah
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ertan Mayatepek
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, University Children's Hospital, Heinrich-Heine University, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Julia Seyfarth
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, University Children's Hospital, Heinrich-Heine University, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Richard O Phillips
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Marc Jacobsen
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Duesseldorf, University Children's Hospital, Heinrich-Heine University, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany.
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