Lugos M.D., Adetifa I.M.O., Donkor S., Hill P.C., Adegbola R.A., Ota M.O.C.
Federal College of Veterinary and Medical Laboratory Technology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau, Nigeria; Medical Research Council Laboratories, P. O. Box 273, Banjul, Gambia; Centre for International Health, Department of Preventive
Lugos, M.D., Federal College of Veterinary and Medical Laboratory Technology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau, Nigeria, Medical Research Council Laboratories, P. O. Box 273, Banjul, Gambia; Adetifa, I.M.O., Medical Research Council Laboratories, P. O. Box 273, Banjul, Gambia; Donkor, S., Medical Research Council Laboratories, P. O. Box 273, Banjul, Gambia; Hill, P.C., Medical Research Council Laboratories, P. O. Box 273, Banjul, Gambia, Centre for International Health, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago School of Medicine, Dunedin, New Zealand; Adegbola, R.A., Medical Research Council Laboratories, P. O. Box 273, Banjul, Gambia; Ota, M.O.C., Medical Research Council Laboratories, P. O. Box 273, Banjul, Gambia
Interferon gamma remains a key effector molecule that is still widely used as the most informative biomarker for screening human immune responses against tuberculosis, particularly in ELISPOT assays. We investigated the participation of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in the PBMC responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) specific antigens in 33 TB cases and 49 contacts. Responses to ESAT-6 were higher than CFP-10. There was no significant difference in responses to both Mtb antigens between cases and contacts. PBMCs response to ESAT-6 but not CFP-10 in cases was significantly reduced by depletion of CD4+ cells whereas CD8+ cell depletion had no impact. In conclusion, ESAT-6 is a more recognized antigen in this population, and CD4+ lymphocytes are the main participants in IFN-γ response by ELISPOT. Thus, a decline of CD4+ T lymphocytes below a critical level might affect the sensitivity of IFN-γ release assays for detecting Mtb infection. © 2009 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.
culture filtrate protein 10; early secretory antigenic target 6; gamma interferon; adolescent; adult; aged; antigen specificity; article; CD4+ T lymphocyte; CD8+ T lymphocyte; child; clinical article; controlled study; enzyme linked immunospot assay; female; human; immune response; male; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; peripheral blood mononuclear cell; priority journal; school child; tuberculosis; Adolescent; Adult; Antigens, Bacterial; Bacterial Proteins; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; Interferon-gamma; Male; Middle Aged; Tuberculosis; Young Adult
