Granzyme A as a potential biomarker of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and disease
- Autori: Guggino, G.; Orlando, V.; Cutrera, S.; La Manna, M.; Di Liberto, D.; Vanini, V.; Petruccioli, E.; Dieli, F.; Goletti, D.; Caccamo, N.
- Anno di pubblicazione: 2015
- Tipologia: Articolo in rivista (Articolo in rivista)
- Parole Chiave: Disease; Granzyme A; IFN-γ; IGRA tests; Infection; Tuberculosis; Adult; Antigens, Bacterial; Biomarkers; Case-Control Studies; Female; Granzymes; Humans; Interferon-gamma; Latent Tuberculosis; Male; Middle Aged; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; ROC Curve; Tuberculosis; Young Adult; Immunology and Allergy; Immunology
- OA Link: http://hdl.handle.net/10447/252221
Abstract
Cytotoxic molecules such as granulysin, perforin and granzymes produced by cytolytic T cells directly contribute to immune defense against tuberculosis (TB). In search for novel TB biomarkers, we have evaluated the levels of granzyme A in plasma obtained from QuantiFERON-TB Gold In tube (QFT-IT) assays from patients with active TB disease and subjects with latent TB infection (LTBI).Granzyme A serum levels in TB patients were significantly lower than values found in LTBI subjects even after subtraction of the unstimulated levels from the antigen-stimulated responses. The receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve analysis comparing TB patients and LTBI groups, showed that at a cut-off value of granzyme A of <3.425. pg/ml, the sensitivity and the specificity of the assay were 29.41% and 94.74%, respectively.Our results suggest that granzyme A could be considered another biomarker of TB, that can be used, other than IFN-γ, to discriminate between patients with active TB and LTBI subjects in a well characterized cohort of confirmed Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected individuals.