title: Serum mannose-binding lectin levels are linked with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease.
abstract: The innate immune response facilitates the quality of the adaptive immune response and is critical to an individual's susceptibility to infection and disease. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a plasma protein with anti-microbial properties that binds a wide range of pathogens to flag them for immune destruction independent of antibodies. In this study, serum MBL levels were measured in 81 children <5 years old experiencing acute respiratory syncytial virus infection and in 40 control children to determine the association with disease severity. Almost 70% of all RSV-infected children had low to intermediate MBL levels (<500 ng/ml) compared to controls, and most of the <6 months old RSV interned patients had low to intermediate levels. No differences were detected in MBL levels between case and control children <1 month old. Analysis of the T-cell compartment in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from acute RSV-infected and control children showed that the percent CD4+ T cells was statistically lower in RSV-infected children > or =6 months old compared to controls, while the percent CD8+ T cells in RSV-infected and control PBMC was generally similar. These results suggest that low serum MBL levels may be a marker of RSV disease severity in children and that MBL may be important in limiting RSV disease pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Virologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 4C, andar superior, Campus Umuarama, 38400-902, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas Zimon Giacomini
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Ralph A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Tripp
authors.forename: Lívia Maria Gonçalves
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Patrícia Vianna Bonini
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: Jonny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yokosawa
authors.forename: Orlando Cesar
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Mantese
authors.forename: Thelma Fátima Mattos
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Lysa Luiz
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Nepomuceno
authors.forename: Divina Aparecida Oliveira
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Queiróz
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000097:blood*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin