Decreased level of antibodies and cardiac involvement in patients with chronic Chagas heart disease vaccinated with BCG

Abstract

Studies indicate that Trypanosoma cruzi is capable of inducing immunological disturbances such as decreased expression of molecules involved in T-cell survival and costimulation for antigen-driven T-cell responses. On the other hand, several reports have described that BCG vaccination induces a T-helper 1-type immune response with protective effects in different pathologies. In this regard, we evaluated whether BCG vaccination coexists with a better clinical and immunological profile of chronic Chagas heart disease (CCHD). We performed a cross-sectional study in T. cruzi seropositive patients categorized according the BCG vaccine background and to the well-established CCHD classification provided by Storino et al. All individuals were subjected to a complete clinical examination. All patients presented detectable levels of autoantibodies anti-p2β, anti-B13, anti-FRA and antiparasite homogenate immunoglobulins, which were unrelated to age and sex distribution or blood pressure values. Comparisons according to BCG vaccination revealed that individuals who had not been vaccinated presented higher values of antibodies, and patients without BCG vaccine had an OR of 6.1 (95 % CI 1.23-29.25, p = 0.02) for globally dilated cardiomyopathy with reduced ejection fraction (Hosmer and Lemeshow test of 5.2 p = 0.73). Our results suggest that BCG vaccination coexists with a better clinical and immunological profile of CCHD, associated with lower cardiac involvement.

Combined analysis of cross‐reacting antibodies anti‐β1AR and anti‐B13 in advanced stages of Chagas heart disease

“…For obtaining proteins used as coating antigens, Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells bearing the plasmidic constructions pET‐32a/B13 or pET‐32a/p2b, respectively, were grown overnight in LB medium, supplemented with 0.1 mg/ml ampicillin at 37 °C with agitation. Protein expression was induced in 1 m m isopropyl‐ β ‐D‐thiogalactopyranoside and was purified with a Ni‐nitrilotriacetic acid Sepharose column (GE Healthcare, UK) .…”

“…Serum samples from patients were stored at −80 °C until they were used for the measurement of antibodies against p2 β , B13 and β 1AR by specific immunoassays (ELISA) as previously described technique . For assay standardisation, results were expressed as an index of optical density (IOD) of the sample in relation to the negative control (mean + 2DS); an IOD ≤1 was considered negative.…”

Improved Serodiagnosis ofTrypanosoma vivaxInfections in Cattle Reveals Higher Infection Rates in the Livestock Regions of Argentina

“…Antibody levels were quantified as the ratio between the OD of the sample and the cut-off value. This measure is referred to as IODN (index of the optical density of the antibodies relative to the negative control) (35). The IODN value below which it was considered negative was determined using ROC curve analysis.…”

Chagas disease reactivation in a patient non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

“…Protein expression, purification and measurement of antibodies by immunoassay were performed as described elsewhere. 1 Serum levels of antibodies are shown in Fig. 1.…”

“…Anti-p2␤ and anti-B13 have been shown to play a pathogenic role in the development of heart tissue lesions. 1 While not routinely employed, these antibody measurements may be useful for assessing Chagas disease staging, prognosis and treatment response. 12---14 Chagas disease reactivation e85…”