[Isolation of Mycoplasma penetrans and detection of the levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-alpha in the blood of patients with autoimmune disease].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the isolation of Mycoplasma penetrans from the blood of autoimmune disease patients and to evaluate the levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in patients with autoimmune disease (AID).


METHODS
M. penetrans was isolated and cultured from the blood specimens of 44 patients with AID. Among them 16 patients were control group I, who were the objects. 28 patients were in control group II as contrast. The serum ASO or RF level of the patients in control group I was higher than that in control group II. The positive specimens were confirmed by nPCR and the levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were measured by RIA in the blood samples.


RESULTS
M. penetrans was detected in the blood of 17 patients and the positive detection rate was 38.6% (17/44) in AID group. There was significant difference between the detection rate from group I (12.5%, 2/16, P<0.01) and that in group II (0%, 0/28, P<0.01). The serum level of IL-6 in the AID with M. penetrans infection patients in group I (3.30+/-1.49) microg/L was significantly different from that in the AID without M. penetrans infection patients in group I (2.43+/-0.95) microg/L and that in group II(1.14+/-0.32) microg/L, P<0.01. The serum level of TNF-alpha in the AID with M. penetrans infection patients in group I (293.3+/-179.9) ng/L was significantly different from that in the AID without M. penetrans infection patients in group I (173.9+/-73.9) ng/L and that in group II(108.8+/-33.8) ng/L, P<0.01.


CONCLUSIONS
M. penetrans occurs with high frequency in the blood of autoimmune disease patients. The evident increase of serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in AID with M. penetrans infection than the control groups.
Wen
Xiu-shu
XS
Department of Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325000, China. wywxs@126.com
Wang
Cheng
C
Zhou
Li-ping
LP
Wang
Shai-fang
SF
Chen
Huan-le
HL
D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018661:Mycoplasma penetrans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha