Ancylostoma duodenale infection: a study of serum immunoglobulin G4 response to the excretory secretory antigen of adult worm

The serum anti-Ancylostoma duodenale immunoglobulin [Is] G4 antibody response to fraction III of the partially purified excretory secretory antigen of adult worm [Ad III ESA] was studied. This work included 60 patients with A duodenale infection [GI], 40 patients with other parasitic infections [GII] and 30 apparently healthy parasite-free controls [GIII]. Level of serum specific IgG4 was measured by indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and compared with serum specific IgG, IgG 1, 2 and 3 subclass antibodies. Patients of GI had gastrointestinal manifestations and symptoms suggestive of anaemia and by investigations they had anaemia in 31.7% and eosinophilia in 100%. Measuring the intensity of A. duodenale infection, quantified as fecal egg counts, in patients of GI revealed that 60%, 30% and 10% had light, moderate and heavy infections, respectively. The serum anti-Ad III ESA IgG and IgG 1-4 subclass antibodies were significantly elevated in patients of GI compared with GIII. Serum specific IgG4 was expressed in 100% of patients of GI at a significantly highly elevated level than IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3. Specific IgG1 was expressed in 88.3% of patients of GI at a significantly elevated level than IgG2 and IgG3 which were expressed in 31.7% and 38.3%, respectively, and elevated to a moderate extent. Serum specific IgG4 showed a 1.0, 1.1, 3.1 and 2.6-fold increase in detection rate of positive cases than IgG, IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3, respectively. The highest ability to differentiate between infected and healthy subjects was by serum specific IgG4 recording a discrimination coefficient of 9.4, while IgG, IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 recorded 5.2, 6.3, 3.2 and 3.4,respectively. Serum specific IgG4 showed a significant positive correlation with the intensity of A. duodenale infection demonstrated by IgG and IgG3, respectively. Detection of serum anti-Ad III ESA IgG4 antibody recorded a 100% sensitivity that was significantly higher than IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3, but insignificantly different from IgG. Finally, serum specific IgG4 recorded a 100% specificity that was significantly higher than IgG, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG1. They showed cross-reactions with ascariasis, lymphatic filariasis and strongyloidiasis. The results were discussed

Immunopathogenic role of IgG antibody and rantes in house dust mite-induced chronic bronchitis

Based on immunological and clinical examinations, 21 patients were diagnosed as having house dust mite [HDM]-induced chronic bronchitis and classified into three groups according to the clinical presentation of the disease; stable bronchitis, exacerbated bronchitis and asthma on top of bronchitis. Using ELISA, the levels of serum anti-Dermatophagoides farinae and anti-D. pteronyssinus IgG antibodies and plasma RANTES [regulated upon activation, normal T-cell-expressed and secreted; a chemokine with attractive and activator role for eosinophils] were measured in correlation to serum eosinophil cationic protein [ECP, a marker of eosinophil activation and degranulation measured by chemiluminescent immunometric technique]. Using immunoblotting, IgG binding components of D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus were determined providing a clue for diagnosis of HDM-induced chronic bronchitis. Significant higher levels of anti-D. farinae and anti-D. pteronyssinus IgG antibodies and RANTES were found in asthmatic group, followed by exacerbated chronic bronchitis in comparison to stable bronchitis and control groups. ECP level correlated significantly with IgG and RANTES levels in exacerbated bronchitis and asthmatic groups. The results provided evidence that over expression of IgG and RANTES plays a crucial role as mediator in immunopathogenesis of HDM-induced chronic bronchitis and as marker of the immunological changes likely responsible for progression of bronchitis to asthma in HDM-sensitive patients, yet RANTES seemed to be an early indicator. Definition of the immunopathogenic role of IgG and RANTES in HDM-induced bronchitis should enable the manipulation of the critical immune response in the hope of establishing new therapies. D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus antigenic bands at >205 and 205 KDa, respectively, considered together showed 71.4% sensitivity in diagnosis of HDM induced chronic bronchitis and 100% specificity by immunoblotting

Alkaline phosphatase from echinococcus granulosus meyacestodes for immunodiagnosis of human cystic echinococcosis

This work examined the use of Echinococcus granulosus alkaline phosphatase [EgAP] [extracted from hydatid cyst membranes] as an antigen for the immunodiagnosis of human cystic echinococcosis [CE]. It was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] and Western immunoblotting [IB] for the detection of serum anti-EgAP immunoglobulin [Ig]G antibody and was compared with hydatid cyst fluid [HCF]. The EgAP and HCF were of sheep liver cysts origin. Sera from 30 patients with surgically confirmed CE [G I], 30 patients with other parasitic infections [G II] and 20 healthy controls [G III] were examined. The mean optical density of each of anti-EgAP IgG and anti- HCF IgG antibodies in G I was significantly higher than in each of G II and III. The use of EgAP in ELISA showed 100% sensitivity and specificity, which were significantly higher than when using HCF in ELISA [86.7% sensitivity and 84% specificity]. SDS-PAGE resolution, under reducing conditions, of EgAP revealed a molecular weight of 56 kDa, while that of HCF revealed a number of antigenic bands ranged from 12-130 kDa. IB analysis showed that sera from CE patients recognized the EgAP 56 kDa and also one or more of HCF antigenic bands of molecular weights at 116, 63, 44, 39, 24, 20, 16 and 12 kDa. The use of EgAP in IB showed 100% sensitivity and specificity recording an insignificant difference in sensitivity and a significantly higher specificity than when using HCF in IB [100% sensitivity and 90% specificity]. Cross reactivity with HCF in ELISA and IB was seen with Schistosomiasis mansoni, fascioliasis, Hymenolepiasis nana and ascariasis. Using EgAP, there was an insignificant difference in each of the sensitivity and specificity between ELISA and IB. Using HCF, there was a significantly higher sensitivity and an insignificantly higher specificity by IB than ELISA. The implications of these results were discussed

Comparative study of the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of paromomycin, recombinant IL-12 alone or in combination against cryptosporidium parvum infection in immunosuppressed mice

The administration of paromomycin [100 mg/kg orally] for ten days, rIL-12 [0.5 ug/mouse s.c.] for three consecutive days or their combination was evaluated before and after infection with C. Parvum using immunosuppressed mice model. A total of 110 suckling albino mice were immunosuppressed by hydrocortisone acetate and infected with 106 Cryptosporidium oocysts. An assessment of drug efficacy was done by the estimation of the oocyst count in stool using modified Ziehl- Neelsen technique, histopathological examination of terminal ileum and determination of the serum level of IFN-gamma and calculation of the cure rate. The combination of paromomycin and rIL-12 was more effective than either drug alone. The cure rate was 86.7% when the regimen was used prophylactically and 73.3% when the combination was administered. Regression of the histopathological changes in comparison with the control group was noted

Serum levels of some cytokines and soluble adhesion molecules in normal and patients with malignant malaria in Zambia

The present study revealed no changes in the serum levels of IL-8 in malaria patients compared with controls. Such result however, does not exclude a role for IL-8 in falciparum malaria, as it is produced by activated endothelial cells that may be captured by receptors on the endothelial surface. This would allow local concentrations of IL-8 to be generated at the vessel wall without being shed into the circulation. The marked elevation of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in serum of falciparum malaria patients may support the concept that dysfunction of the endothelium is important in the pathophysiology of the disease. Increased level of IL-6 in serum of patients may contribute to endothelial damage and dysfunction by expression of endothelial adhesion molecules that in turn result in infected esythrocytes attraction to the endothelium and pathologic endothelial dysfunction