An update on immunodiagnosis of cystic echinococcosis.
Immunological parameters are increasingly investigated as possible markers for the development of cystic echinococcosis. Among the newer immunologic tests for assessing the host-parasite relationship, assay of immunoglobulin isotypes with the use of distinct parasite antigens and detection of Th1/Th2 cytokine expression are an interesting new approach. The findings upon which we have constructed our immunological hypothesis of the host-parasite relationship are: (1) immunoglobulin isotype profiles differ in patients with distinct clinical outcomes of the disease; in particular, antigen B is the antigen of choice to detect specific IgG4, which is the immunoglobulin isotype most clearly associated with the progression of the disease; (2) the isolation and characterisation of recombinant parasite proteins that behave as molecular markers of allergic reactions associated with cystic echinococcosis; (3) Th1/Th2 cell activation is involved in the clinical outcome of Echinococcus granulosus infection and, in particular Th2 response, is associated with susceptibility to the disease, whereas a Th1 response is associated with protective immunity.
Ortona
Elena
E
Laboratory of Immunology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
Riganò
Rachele
R
Buttari
Brigitta
B
Delunardo
Federica
F
Ioppolo
Salvatore
S
Margutti
Paola
P
Profumo
Elisabetta
E
Teggi
Antonella
A
Vaccari
Sergio
S
Siracusano
Alessandra
A
D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000032:analysis; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D016207:Cytokines; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes