Innate immune responses to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in immunocompromised pediatric patients and the effect of taurolidine.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an emerging pathogen causing invasive infections in immunocompromised pediatric patients, including neonates and pediatric oncology patients. Information on innate immune responses to S. maltophilia and its potential modulation are scarce.

METHODS:

We established an in vitro S. maltophilia whole blood sepsis model and studied the proinflammatory cytokine production of CD14-positive cells by flow cytometry. We compared the cytokine expression of term newborns (n = 13) and healthy adults (n = 10) and investigated in vitro responses of pediatric oncology patients after recovery from neutropenia (n = 10) with healthy adults (n = 10). We further evaluated the immunomodulatory role of the amino-acid derivative taurolidine in our in vitro sepsis model.

RESULTS:

Proinflammatory cytokine responses to S. maltophilia were largely diminished in the neonatal population. No remarkable differences were noted for cytokine responses between pediatric oncology patients and healthy controls. Taurolidine inhibited immunoglobulin (IL)-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression in a dose dependent-fashion in both, pediatric oncology patients and healthy controls.

CONCLUSION:

Deficient immune responses to S. maltophilia require optimized prevention strategies against infection in immunocompromised patients, including neonates. Taurolidine may be an effective immunomodulatory agent in a clinical setting.

• Authors: Christoph Härtel, Tasja Scholz, Marie Kuhn, Meike Bendiks, Wolfgang Göpel, Melchior Lauten, Egbert Herting
• Journal: Journal of microbiology, immunology, and infection = Wei mian yu gan ran za zhi (J Microbiol Immunol Infect) Vol. 46 Issue 2 Pg. 115-20 (Apr 2013) ISSN: 1995-9133 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22727544 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Cytokines
• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Lipopolysaccharide Receptors
• Thiadiazines
• Taurine
• taurolidine

Topics

• Adult
• Antineoplastic Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Cytokines (metabolism)
• Female
• Flow Cytometry
• Hematologic Neoplasms (drug therapy, immunology)
• Humans
• Immunity, Innate
• Immunocompromised Host
• Immunosuppression Therapy
• Immunosuppressive Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Infant, Newborn
• Leukocytes (immunology)
• Lipopolysaccharide Receptors (analysis)
• Male
• Models, Theoretical
• Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (immunology)
• Taurine (adverse effects, analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Thiadiazines (adverse effects, therapeutic use)