TLTF in Cerebrospinal Fluid for Detection and Staging of T-b. gambiense Infection
Abdulla, MH [ 1,5 ]; Bakhiet, M [ 2 ]; Lejon, V [ 3 ]; Andersson, J [ 4 ]; McKerrow, J [ 5 ];
Al-Obeed, O [ 1 ]; Harris, RA [ 6 ]
PLOS ONE
Volume: 8, Issue: 11, Article Number: e79281, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079281,
Published: NOV 19 2013
Publisher PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE, 1160 BATTERY STREET, STE 100, SAN
FRANCISCO, CA 94111 USA
ISSN: 1932-6203
Abstract
Background: Trypanosome-derived lymphocyte triggering factor (TLTF) is a molecule
released by African trypanosomes that interacts with the host immune system, resulting in
increased levels of IFN-gamma production.
Methodology/Principal findings: TLTF and anti-TLTF antibodies were assessed in sera
and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients infected with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense
(T. b. gambiense) in an attempt to identify alternative markers for diagnosis and stage
determination of human African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness. Seventy-four
serum and sixtyone CSF samples from patients with parasitologically confirmed infection
and known disease stage along with 13 sera and CSF from uninfected controls were
tested. In serum the levels of anti-TLTF antibodies were unrelated to the disease stage. In
contrast, levels of anti-TLTF antibodies in CSF were higher in intermediate/ late stages
than in early stage disease patients. Specificity of the detected antibodies was assessed
by inhibition of TLTF bioactivity as represented by its ability to induce IFN-gamma
production. Additionally, TLTF was detected in CSF from late stage patients by Western
blotting with the anti-TLTF specific monoclonal antibody MO3.
Conclusions/significance: These findings suggest a new possibility for disease diagnosis
with focus on involvement of the CNS through detection of TLTF and anti-TLTF
antibodies in the CSF.
Keywords
KeyWords Plus:HUMAN AFRICAN TRYPANOSOMIASIS;
LYMPHOCYTE-TRIGGERING FACTOR; INTERFERON-GAMMA; SLEEPING
SICKNESS; FIELD DIAGNOSIS; CELLS; BRUCEI; GROWTH; ANTIBODIES;
SECRETION
Author Information
Reprint Address: Abdulla, MH E-mail Addresses:mabdulla@ksu.edu.sa
King Saud Univ, King Khalid Univ Hosp, Colorectal Res Ctr, Dept Surg, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia.
Organization-Enhanced Name(s)
King Khalid University Hospital
King Saud University
Addresses:
[ 1 ] King Saud Univ, King Khalid Univ Hosp, Colorectal Res Ctr, Dept Surg, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia
Organization-Enhanced Name(s)
King Khalid University Hospital
King Saud University
[ 2 ] Arabian Gulf Univ, Coll Med & Med Sci, HH Princess Al Jawhara Ctr Genet &
Inherited Dis, Dept Mol Med, Manama, Bahrain
Organization-Enhanced Name(s)
Arabian Gulf University
[ 3 ] Univ Antwerp, Inst Trop Med, Dept Biomed Sci, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
Organization-Enhanced Name(s)
University of Antwerp
[ 4 ] Karolinska Inst, Karolinska Univ Hosp Huddinge, Dept Infect Med, Stockholm,
Sweden
Organization-Enhanced Name(s)
Karolinska Institutet
[ 5 ] Univ Calif San Francisco, Ctr Discovery & Innovat Parasit Dis, Dept Pathol, San
Francisco, CA 94143 USA
Organization-Enhanced Name(s)
University of California San Francisco
University of California System
[ 6 ] Karolinska Inst, Karolinska Hosp Solna, Ctr Mol Med, Dept Clin Neurosci Appl
Immunol & Immunotherapy, Stockholm, Sweden
Organization-Enhanced Name(s)
Karolinska Institutet