title: Antigen-Specific IFN-γResponses Correlate with the Activity ofM. tuberculosisInfection but Are Not Associated with the Severity of Tuberculosis Disease.
abstract: IFN-γis a key cytokine in antituberculosis (TB) defense. However, how the levels of its secretion affectM. tuberculosis(Mtb) infection is not clear. We have analyzed associations between IFN-γresponses measured in QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-tube (QFT) assay, TB disease severity, andMtbinfection activity. TB severity was evaluated based on the results of radiological, microbiological, and clinical examinations. Antigen-driven IFN-γsecretion did not correlate with TB severity. Mitogen-induced IFN-γsecretion correlated inversely with the form of pulmonary pathology and the area of affected pulmonary tissue; the levels of spontaneous IFN-γsecretion correlated with patients' age (r= 0.395,p= 0.001).Mtbinfection activity was evaluated based on radiological data of lung tissue infiltration, destruction, dissemination or calcification, and condensation. The rate of positive QFT results and the levels of antigen-driven IFN-γsecretion increased in a row: patients with residual TB lesions < patients with low TB activity < patients with high TB activity. Thus, antigen-driven IFN-γsecretion and QFT results did not associate with TB severity but associated with the infection activity. The results suggest that quantitative parameters of IFN-γsecretion play a minor role in determining the course of TB disease but mirror the activity of the infectious process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Central Tuberculosis Research Institute, Yauza Alley 2, Moscow 107564, Russia.
authors.forename: Irina Yu
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Nikitina
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Central Tuberculosis Research Institute, Yauza Alley 2, Moscow 107564, Russia.
authors.forename: Alexander V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Panteleev
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Central Tuberculosis Research Institute, Yauza Alley 2, Moscow 107564, Russia.
authors.forename: Ekaterina V
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0328-7962
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Sosunova
authors.affiliation: Phthisiology Department, Central Tuberculosis Research Institute, Yauza Alley 2, Moscow 107564, Russia.
authors.forename: Natalya L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Karpina
authors.affiliation: Phthisiology Department, Central Tuberculosis Research Institute, Yauza Alley 2, Moscow 107564, Russia.
authors.forename: Tatef R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Bagdasarian
authors.affiliation: Phthisiology Department, Central Tuberculosis Research Institute, Yauza Alley 2, Moscow 107564, Russia.
authors.forename: Irina A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Burmistrova
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Central Tuberculosis Research Institute, Yauza Alley 2, Moscow 107564, Russia.
authors.forename: Sofia N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Andreevskaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Central Tuberculosis Research Institute, Yauza Alley 2, Moscow 107564, Russia.
authors.forename: Larisa N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Chernousova
authors.affiliation: Phthisiology Department, Central Tuberculosis Research Institute, Yauza Alley 2, Moscow 107564, Russia.
authors.forename: Irina A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Vasilyeva
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Central Tuberculosis Research Institute, Yauza Alley 2, Moscow 107564, Russia.
authors.forename: Irina V
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3147-5386
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Lyadova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D007371:Interferon-gamma