title: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is associated with low plasma concentrations of human neutrophil peptides 1-3.
abstract: METHODS
  Human neutrophil peptides 1, 2 and 3 (HNP1-3) are involved in innate host defence and acquired immune response, which is possibly associated with the genesis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between HNP1-3 and MDR-TB.
  
  
  METHODS
  We divided 42 patients with post-primary pulmonary TB into two groups according to their drug susceptibility test results: the drug-susceptible group (n = 21) and the MDR-TB group (n = 21). The concentration of HNP1-3 in the plasma of all specimens was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before treatment and 6, 18 and 24 months after. Duration of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum and peripheral blood neutrophil counts were measured at the same time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before treatment, the plasma HNP1-3 concentration in the MDR-TB group was lower than that of healthy controls and the drug-susceptible group. After treatment, plasma HNP1-3 concentrations were higher than pre-treatment levels in the MDR-TB group, but were still lower than in healthy controls or the drug-susceptible group. The concentration of HNP1-3 was negatively correlated with the duration of M. tuberculosis in sputum, while it was positively correlated with neutrophils.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MDR-TB is associated with low plasma concentrations of HNP1-3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: L-M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: A-G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: C-X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Y-R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult; D023084:alpha-Defensins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D023084:alpha-Defensins; C406413:human neutrophil peptide 1; C406416:human neutrophil peptide 2; C406427:human neutrophil peptide 3