title: IFN-gamma, but not IP-10, MCP-2 or IL-2 response to RD1 selected peptides associates to active tuberculosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether in vitro response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis RD1 peptides selected by computational analysis, measured by IFN-gamma, IP-10, MCP-2 or IL-2 production, is associated with active tuberculosis (TB) in a country with a high incidence of TB.
  
  
  METHODS
  129 individuals were prospectively enrolled, 41 with active-pulmonary TB and 88 without (household contacts and community controls). A whole blood assay based on RD1 selected peptides was performed. Soluble factors were evaluated by ELISA in plasma harvested at day1-post-culture. Enrolled individuals were also tested by QuantiFERON TB-Gold In tube (QFT-IT) and tuberculin skin tests (TST).
  
  
  RESULTS
  IFN-gamma response to RD1 selected peptides was significantly higher in active TB patients than in household contacts and community controls. IP-10 and MCP-2 response did not differ between active TB patients and household contacts, although it was higher in these groups compared to community controls; conversely IL-2 response did not differ among the three groups. When IFN-gamma response to RD1 selected peptides was scored based on receiver-operator-characteristic analysis, active TB was predicted with 68% sensitivity and 86% specificity. QFT-IT and TST showed a sensitivity for active TB of 90% and 68% and a specificity of 58% and 59%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFN-gamma (but not IP-10, MCP-2 and IL-2) response to RD1 selected peptides is associated with active TB with a higher specificity than QFT-IT and TST.
authors.affiliation: Translational Research Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Preclinical Research, L. Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI), Via Portuense 292, Rome, Italy. delia.goletti@inmi.it
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goletti
authors.forename: Alamelu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raja
authors.forename: Basirudeen Syed
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Ahamed Kabeer
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sodha
authors.forename: Ornella
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Butera
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carrara
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vernet
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Longuet
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ippolito
authors.forename: Satheesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thangaraj
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leportier
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.forename: Philippe Henri
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lagrange
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D054412:Chemokine CCL8 / Q000276:immunology*; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; C515453:CCL8 protein, human; C114753:CXCL10 protein, human; D054412:Chemokine CCL8; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma