Endotoxin antibodies in African sleeping sickness.
Antibodies to the core region of endotoxin (endotoxin core antibodies, EndoCAb), which cross-react with endotoxin from a range of Gram-negative bacteria, are maintained in relative homeostasis in health, but undergo marked changes in a number of different diseases associated directly or indirectly with endotoxaemic or septicaemic states. The levels of EndoCAb IgG in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 35 late-stage sleeping sickness patients and 9 control individuals were measured by ELISA. EndoCAb levels were significantly elevated in the patient blood (mean EndoCAb value 290 MU/ml cf. control 182 MU/ml, P < 0.001), and CSF (mean EndoCAb value 254 MU/ml cf. control 150 MU/ml, P < 0.001). EndoCAb IgG levels correlated with endotoxin levels in patient blood (r = 0.78, P < 0.001), but not in the CSF and were not reduced 6 weeks following chemotherapy, unlike the endotoxin levels. It is concluded that late-stage sleeping sickness is associated with chronic exposure to endotoxins from Gram-negative bacteria.
Pentreath
V W
VW
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Salford. V.W.Pentreath@biosci.salford.ac.uk
Alafiatayo
R A
RA
Barclay
G R
GR
Crawley
B
B
Doua
F
F
Oppenheim
B A
BA
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008549:Melarsoprol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010419:Pentamidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004731:Endotoxins; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D010419:Pentamidine; D008549:Melarsoprol