title: Activity and turnover of eosinophil and neutrophil granulocytes are altered in visceral leishmaniasis.
abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a health issue in Sudan. Our aim was to investigate the involvement of eosinophils and neutrophils in VL by serum and plasma measurements of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) and some key cytokines and chemokines. Blood was collected from 125 VL patients and 181 healthy Sudanese controls from the same rural area. Results showed reduced eosinophil and neutrophil counts in the VL group (P=0.0001 and P=0.002, respectively). Serum-ECP levels were higher in the controls (P<0.0001), while plasma MPO levels were higher in the VL group (P<0.0001). Levels of IL-5, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and IL-17 were increased among the VL group (P<0.0001, P=0.017 and P=0.03, respectively), whereas eotaxin and IL-8 levels were reduced (P<0.0001 and P=0.002, respectively). Positive correlations were found between IL-8 and ECP/MPO (P<0.0001). We conclude that eosinophil and neutrophil turnover and activity are increased in subjects in rural areas of Sudan. In VL the turnover was further increased, but the relatively low secretory activity of eosinophils and neutrophils in VL may relate to the reduced production and availability of the chemokines eotaxin and IL-8. The combined assay of ECP and MPO in serum and plasma provides further insight into the mechanisms of eosinophil and neutrophil involvement in disease and constitutes a novel approach to the study of disease processes.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Clinical Immunology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. amir.elshafie@klinimm.uu.se
authors.forename: Amir I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Elshafie
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hlin
authors.forename: Lena Douhan
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Håkansson
authors.forename: Gehad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Elghazali
authors.forename: Sayda Hassan El
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Safi
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rönnelid
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venge
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000097:blood; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D013397:Sudan; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D009195:Peroxidase; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein