title: Antigen-specific CD4- and CD8-positive signatures in different phases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
abstract: Current diagnostic standards for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection do not distinguish between active and latent tuberculosis (TB). To identify specific biomarkers characterizing the different forms of TB infection, we investigated in parallel with the QuantiFERON -TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) the use of flow cytometry measuring CD4 and CD8 MTB-specific immune response in 17 active-TB patients, 21 health care workers (HCW), 14 recent contacts of TB patients (RC-TB), and 10 bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG)-vaccinated healthy controls (BCG-HC). A correlation (r = 0.4526, P = 0.0002) was found only between the amount of IFN-γ measured by QFT-IT and the frequency of CD4+/CD69+/IFN-γ+ T cells. The frequency of CD4+/CD69+/IFNγ+ responding T cells was higher in active-TB patients (0.254 ± 0.336%, P < 0.01) compared to the other groups. The response of QFT-IT antigen-specific CD8+/CD69+/IFNγ+ T cells was significantly higher in RC-TB (0.245 ± 0.305%, P < 0.05) compared to the other study groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Allergology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 26 Yanko Sakazov, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nikolova
authors.forename: Roumiana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Markova
authors.forename: Rumiana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Drenska
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muhtarova
authors.forename: Yana
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Todorova
authors.forename: Velichko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dimitrov
authors.forename: Hristo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taskov
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saltini
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amicosante
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D015415:Biomarkers; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D000099192:CD69 Antigens