Abstract | SETTING: It is generally accepted that antibodies do not protect against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, as this role relies upon T-cell reactivity. Hence, most studies on antimycobacterial antibodies have been aimed at developing serologic tests, and few explore their role in disease pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE: To determine the IgG antimycobacterial antibody response of 55 Mexican Totonaca Indians with pulmonary tuberculosis and its correlation with some features of the disease. DESIGN: Study of the profile of antigen recognition by immunoblot and ELISA with isolated antigen 85 complex ( Ag85) and whole culture filtrate proteins. Correlation of immunoblot and ELISA results with BCG vaccination, tuberculin reactivity, extent of the disease, clinical setting, and response to treatment. RESULTS: On immunoblot, band reactivity was very poor and the most frequently recognized antigen was the 30-32 kDa, antigen 85 complex (45.8% of serum samples). ELISA with this antigen showed a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 100%. Positive antibody titers to Ag85 were observed in 79.4% of patients with non-cavitary tuberculosis (P = 0.012) and in 95.8% of patients who were cured with anti- tuberculosis chemotherapy (P = 0.0001). By contrast, an antibody response to whole culture filtrate antigens had no correlation with the presence of cavitations or with prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that an antibody response to Ag85, aside from having great potential to develop a serologic test for tuberculosis, was associated with a positive outcome in a cohort of tuberculous Mexican Indians.
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Authors | C Sánchez-Rodríguez, C Estrada-Chávez, J García-Vigil, F Laredo-Sánchez, J Halabe-Cherem, A Pereira-Suárez, R Mancilla |
Journal | The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
(Int J Tuberc Lung Dis)
Vol. 6
Issue 8
Pg. 706-12
(Aug 2002)
ISSN: 1027-3719 [Print] France |
PMID | 12150483
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Antigens, Bacterial
- BCG Vaccine
- Immunoglobulin G
- Acyltransferases
- antigen 85A, Mycobacterium tuberculosis
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Topics |
- Acyltransferases
(immunology)
- Adult
- Antibody Formation
- Antigens, Bacterial
(immunology)
- BCG Vaccine
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Female
- Humans
- Immunoblotting
- Immunoglobulin G
(immunology)
- Indians, North American
- Male
- Mexico
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(immunology)
- Prospective Studies
- Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
(ethnology, immunology)
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