Elevated serum antibody responses to synthetic mycobacterial lipid antigens among UK farmers: an indication of exposure to environmental mycobacteria?
| Autor: | A. Prysor Williams, James Gibbons, Mark S. Baird, Juma'a R. Al Dulayymi, Alison Jones, Christopher Gwenin, Samuel Fitch, Carys Davies |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
0301 basic medicine
Population Pharmaceutical Science Biochemistry Mycolic acid Mycobacterium tuberculosis 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Immune system Antigen Drug Discovery education Pharmacology chemistry.chemical_classification education.field_of_study biology Organic Chemistry Lipid antigen food and beverages biology.organism_classification Vaccination Chemistry 030104 developmental biology 030228 respiratory system chemistry Immunology biology.protein Molecular Medicine Antibody |
| Zdroj: | RSC Med Chem |
| ISSN: | 2632-8682 |
| DOI: | 10.1039/d0md00325e |
| Popis: | Background: mycobacterial cells contain complex mixtures of mycolic acid esters. These can be used as antigens recognised by antibodies in the serum of individuals with active tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In high burden populations, a significant number of false positives are observed; possibly these antigens are also recognised by antibodies generated by other mycobacterial infections, particularly ubiquitous ‘environmental mycobacteria’. This suggests similar responses may be observed in a low burden TB population, particularly in groups regularly exposed to mycobacteria. Methods: ELISA using single synthetic trehalose mycolates corresponding to major classes in many mycobacteria was used to detect antibodies in serum of individuals with no known mycobacterial infection, comprising farmers, abattoir workers, and rural and urban populations. Results: serum from four Welsh or Scottish cohorts showed lower (with some antigens significantly lower) median responses than those reported for TB negatives from high-burden TB populations, and significantly lower responses than those with active TB. A small fraction, particularly older farmers, showed strong responses. A second study examined BCG vaccinated and non-vaccinated farmers and non-farmers. Farmers gave significantly higher median responses than non-farmers with three of five antigens, while there was no significant difference between vaccinated or non-vaccinated for either farmer or non-farmer groups. Conclusions: this initial study shows that serodiagnosis with mycobacterial lipid antigens can detect antibodies in a population sub-group that is significantly exposed to mycobacteria, in an assay that is not interfered with by vaccination. Given the links between mycobacterial exposure and a range of immune system diseases, further understanding such responses may provide a new opportunity for monitoring public health and directing treatment. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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