Granzyme A as a potential biomarker of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and disease

• Published in: Immunology letters 2015-08, Vol.166 (2), p.87-91
• Main Authors: Guggino, Giuliana, Orlando, Valentina, Cutrera, Stella, La Manna, Marco P, Di Liberto, Diana, Vanini, Valentina, Petruccioli, Elisa, Dieli, Francesco, Goletti, Delia, Caccamo, Nadia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Allergy and Immunology; Antigens, Bacterial - immunology; Biomarkers; Case-Control Studies; Disease; Female; Granzyme A; Granzymes - blood; Granzymes - metabolism; Humans; IFN-γ; IGRA tests; Infection; Interferon-gamma - blood; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Latent Tuberculosis - diagnosis; Latent Tuberculosis - immunology; Latent Tuberculosis - metabolism; Male; Middle Aged; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - immunology; ROC Curve; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis - diagnosis; Tuberculosis - immunology; Tuberculosis - metabolism; Tuberculosis - microbiology; Tuberculosis - prevention & control; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0165-2478; 1879-0542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2015.05.019

Highlights • In our study we have investigated the potential role of granzyme A levels in plasma obtained from stimulated whole blood, as biomarker of infection/disease comparing patients with active TB disease with LTBI subjects. • The current challenge was to identify markers that are specific and unique for TB that could represent a specific signature when compared with other infectious diseases which have high clinical similarity to TB. • In conclusion, our results suggest that granzyme A could be considered a new additional biomarker of TB, that can be used, other than IFN-γ, to identify subjects infected by Mtb with the limit due to not discriminate between active TB and LTBI. • Further studies are thus required to confirm these data in a larger number of patients and to evaluate the possible implications in terms of TB risk.