Study of M. tuberculosis ES-31 and ES-20 antigen levels in different pathogenic grades of lymph node tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
To study tuberculous excretory-secretory (ES) 31 and ES-20 antigens in different pathogenic grades of lymph node tuberculosis (TB).


METHODS
The study group included lymph node TB patients showing granuloma with mature epithelioid cells based on cytology findings (strong immune response group, SI) and patients showing no granuloma formation and acellular necrosis (weak immune response group, WI). Sandwich ELISA was performed using affinity purified antibodies against Mycobacterium tuberculosis ES-31 and ES-20 antigens to assay free and immune complexed antigen levels in the serum of these patients.


RESULTS
Higher levels of immune complexed ES-31 (geometric mean titre [GMT] 848) and ES-20 (GMT 1818) antigens than free ES-31 (GMT 462) and ES-20 (GMT 647) were observed in WI patients. There were higher levels of immune complexed ES-20 antigen levels (GMT 1818) in WI patients than in SI lymph node TB patients; the difference was significant (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated levels of immune complexed ES-20 antigen in patient's serum may be a useful immunological marker for weak immune response patients in lymph node TB.
Shende
N
N
Jamnalal Bajaj Tropical Disease Research Centre, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, Wardha, India.
Upadhye
V
V
Kumar
S
S
Gangane
N
N
Harinath
B C
BC
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002847:Chromatography, Agarose; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial