title: Mucorales-specific T cells emerge in the course of invasive mucormycosis and may be used as a surrogate diagnostic marker in high-risk patients.
abstract: Mucorales-specific T cells were investigated in 28 hematologic patients during the course of their treatment. Three developed proven invasive mucormycosis (IM), 17 had infections of known origin but other than IM, and 8 never had fever during the period of observation. Mucorales-specific T cells could be detected only in patients with IM, both at diagnosis and throughout the entire course of the IM, but neither before nor for long after resolution of the infection. Such T cells predominantly produced IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-10, and to a lesser extent IL-17 and belonged to either CD4(+) or CD8(+) subsets. The specific T cells that produced IFN-γ were able to directly induce damage to Mucorales hyphae. None of the 25 patients without IM had Mucorales-specific T cells. Specific T cells contribute to human immune responses against fungi of the order Mucorales and could be evaluated as a surrogate diagnostic marker of IM.
authors.affiliation: Section of Haematology, Department of Oncology, Haematology and Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy;
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Potenza
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vallerini
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barozzi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forghieri
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quadrelli
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Candoni
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maertens
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morselli
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Codeluppi
authors.forename: Ambra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paolini
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maccaferri
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Giovane
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rumpianesi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pecorari
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cavalleri
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marasca
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Narni
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luppi
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D009090:Mucorales / Q000276:immunology*; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers