title: Evaluation of the MTT lymphocyte proliferation assay for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis.
abstract: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is caused by the larval form of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium when lodged in the central nervous system (CNS). Clinical diagnosis of NCC is complicated due to its polymorphic manifestations with no specific signs or symptoms. A wide range of serological assays and neuroimaging modalities are used for its diagnosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the MTT assay for the diagnosis of NCC and to determine its sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. MTT assay was based upon the cellular reduction of the tetrazolium salt by the proliferating cells and quantification of the colored product. Total 59 patients with NCC-related active epilepsy (AE), 30 with AE other than NCC (disease controls) and 64 healthy volunteers were enrolled for the study. Lymphocytes were freshly isolated from the enrolled subjects and cultured on cyst fluid antigen coated tissue culture plates. MTT assay was performed according to the standard protocol. The mean values of proliferation index (PI) with cyst fluid antigens were 2.13+/-0.72, 0.622+/-0.31 and 0.71+/-0.36 for NCC patients, disease controls and healthy volunteers respectively. PI values for NCC patients were higher than the cut-off value (mean of controls+2 standard deviations; 1.31). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the MTT assay for the diagnosis of NCC were 87.93%, 94.68% and 91.5% respectively. For single cyst infection the sensitivity of the assay was found to be 86.4%. The present study shows that MTT is an adaptable technique which can be used for diagnosis of NCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow-226014, India.
authors.forename: Avantika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Kashi N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: Aloukick K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Kishan K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Nyati
authors.forename: Rakesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Vimal K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Paliwal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000276:immunology; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C022616:thiazolyl blue