title: Tuberculin skin test and interferon-gamma release assay values are associated with antimicrobial peptides expression in  polymorphonuclear cells during latent tuberculous infection.
abstract: It has been reported that patients with progressive tuberculosis (TB) express abundant amounts of the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) cathelicidin (LL-37) and human neutrophil peptide-1 (HNP-1) in circulating cells, whereas latent TB infected donors showed no differences when compared with purified protein derivative (PPD) and QuantiFERON®-TB Gold (QFT)-healthy individuals. The aim of this study was to determine whether LL-37 and HNP-1 production correlates with higher tuberculin skin test (TST) and QFT values in TB household contacts. Twenty-six TB household contact individuals between 26-58 years old TST and QFT positive with at last two years of latent TB infection were recruited. AMPs production by polymorphonuclear cells was determined by flow cytometry and correlation between TST and QFT values was analysed. Our results showed that there is a positive correlation between levels of HNP-1 and LL-37 production with reactivity to TST and/or QFT levels. This preliminary study suggests the potential use of the expression levels of these peptides as biomarkers for progression in latent infected individuals.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Unit of Zacatecas, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Zacatecas, Mexico.
authors.forename: Julio E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Castañeda-Delgado
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Unit of Zacatecas, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Zacatecas, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cervantes-Villagrana
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Unit of Zacatecas, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Zacatecas, Mexico.
authors.forename: Carmen J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Serrano-Escobedo
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Unit of Zacatecas, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Zacatecas, Mexico.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Frausto-Lujan
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Center for Global Public Health, School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rivas-Santiago
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Unit of Zacatecas, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Zacatecas, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Enciso-Moreno
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Unit of Zacatecas, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Zacatecas, Mexico.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rivas-Santiago
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000737:chemistry*; D054804:Cathelicidins / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D016358:Contact Tracing; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests / Q000379:methods; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000379:methods; D023084:alpha-Defensins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D015415:Biomarkers; D054804:Cathelicidins; D023084:alpha-Defensins; C406413:human neutrophil peptide 1