gms | German Medical Science

21. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Infektiologie (DGPI)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Infektiologie (DGPI)

25.04. - 27.04.2013, Würzburg

Interleukin-7 enhanced antigen-specific T-cell immunity is a marker for disease severity and recovery in children with tuberculosis and correlates with soluble Interleukin-7 receptor expression

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author presenting/speaker M. Kohns - Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, AG Pädiatrische Infektionsforschung, Klinik für Allgemeine Pädiatrie, Neonatologie und Kinderkardiologie - Düsseldorf, Deutschland
  • S. Schattling - Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin, Abteilung Immunologie - Hamburg, Deutschland
  • F. Marx - Charité Universitätsmedizin, Klinik für Pädiatrie mit Schwerpunkt Pneumologie und Immunologie - Berlin, Deutschland
  • A. Hesseling - Stellenbosch University, Desmond Tutu Tb Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health - Kapstadt, Südafrika
  • G. Walzl - Stellenbosch University, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, MRC Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology, DST and NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research - Kapstadt, Südafrika
  • E. Mayatepek - Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, AG Pädiatrische Infektionsforschung, Klinik für Allgemeine Pädiatrie, Neonatologie und Kinderkardiologie - Düsseldorf, Deutschland
  • K. Magdorf - Charité Universitätsmedizin, Klinik für Pädiatrie mit Schwerpunkt Pneumologie und Immunologie - Berlin, Deutschland
  • M. Jacobsen - Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, AG Pädiatrische Infektionsforschung, Klinik für Allgemeine Pädiatrie, Neonatologie und Kinderkardiologie - Düsseldorf, Deutschland

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Infektiologie. 21. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Infektiologie (DGPI). Würzburg, 25.-27.04.2013. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2013. Doc13dgpi76

doi: 10.3205/13dgpi76, urn:nbn:de:0183-13dgpi764

Veröffentlicht: 28. März 2013

© 2013 Kohns et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Text

Immunity biomarkers that predict susceptibility against recurrent tuberculosis are missing. Failure to develop effective T-cell memory during active disease and recovery may account for increased susceptibility against recurrent disease. Pathogen persistence and the accessibility of key cytokines, predominantly Interleukin-7 (IL-7) are possible reasons for non-protective memory. Here we aim at characterizing the role of IL-7 and the soluble IL-7 receptor (sIL-7R) for the induction of protective T-cell immunity against tuberculosis.

We recruited 22 children with ‚mild’ and ‚severe’ manifestations of tuberculosis, as well as healthy M. tuberculosis infected (LTBI) (14) and non-infected children (19). Peripheral blood samples were taken on diagnosis, under treatment (day 90) and after treatment completion (day 365). Interferon-γ (IFNγ) release assays (IGRA), IL-7 dependent antigen-specific in vitro re-stimulation, T-cell phenotyping and sIL-7R quantification in plasma samples were performed.

IL-7 increased the proportions of IFNγ expressing T cells induced by purified protein derivative (PPD) of M. tuberculosis in children with LTBI (p=0.004) and in children with tuberculosis after completion of treatment (p=0.008), but did not have a significant effect in children with tuberculosis prior to chemotherapy. IL-7 induced IFNγ positive T-cell proportions increased in children with tuberculosis after completion of treatment (p = 0.021), but there was no marked increase in the subgroup of children with severe manifestations of disease. Notably, sIL-7R concentrations in plasma correlated positively (r = 0.436, p = 0.02) with in vitro IFNγ expression in response to IL-7.

We concluded that antigen-specific T cells from children with tuberculosis tend to respond worse to IL-7 administration in vitro and that improved IL-7 reactivity - accompanied by increased sIL-7R expression in plasma - is a marker of recovery in children with mild disease. Because of the central role of IL-7 in the generation of protective memory T cells, we hypothesized that these differences may also reflect the susceptibility to recurrent disease. Future studies will address these questions in tuberculosis high incidence countries.