Cytokine and LL-37 gene expression levels in Bartonella spp. seropositive and seronegative patients of a rheumatology clinic.
Łysakowska. Monika E ME; Szybka. Małgorzata M; Olga. Brzezińska B; Moskwa. Sylwia S; Konieczka. Magdalena M; Makowska. Joanna J; Pastuszak-Lewandoska. Dorota D
Key Findings
- LL‑37 gene expression was unchanged between patients and healthy controls
- Cytokine levels (IFN‑γ, TNF‑α, IL‑2, IL‑4, IL‑6, IL‑12) differed between patients and controls
- Bartonella DNA‑positive patients had lower IL‑12 and TNF‑α mRNA
Practical Outcomes
- There’s no actionable insight for using LL‑37 as a supplement or biomarker in Bartonella‑related issues. The findings mainly confirm that LL‑37 isn’t altered by this infection, so biohackers can focus on other pathways for immune support.
Summary
The study looked at the immune gene LL‑37 and several cytokines in people with joint pain, comparing those with and without Bartonella infection. It found that LL‑37 levels were the same in patients and healthy people, and didn’t change whether someone had Bartonella antibodies. Some cytokines were different in patients overall, and those who actually had Bartonella DNA showed lower IL‑12 and TNF‑α, hinting the bacteria might dampen parts of the immune response.
Abstract
The variation in the immune response to Bartonella spp. infection in humans remains unclear. The present study compares the expression of selected interleukins, cytokines and cathelicidin (LL-37) in rheumatology clinic patients suffering from musculoskeletal symptoms with healthy blood donors. The patients had previously been tested for the presence of Bartonella henselae antibodies. Gene expression of LL-37, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12, interferon-(IFN)-γ, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α)-α was determined in blood samples using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR). Statistical analysis was prepared with STATISTICA. Statistically significant differences in the mRNA levels of the tested cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12; p<0.0001) were observed between the healthy controls and patients; however, no difference was observed for LL37 mRNA (p ​= ​0.1974). No significant differences in mRNA expression were observed between IgG in anti-Bartonella seropositive and seronegative individuals (p>0.05). The only significant differences between the Bartonella spp. DNA positive and negative patients, indicated by PCR, were observed for TNF-α and IL-12 mRNA (p ​= ​0.0045 and p ​= ​0.0255, respectively). A broadly similar immune response to the tested cytokines was observed among the participants irrespective of anti-Bartonella spp. IgG seropositivity. However, the Bartonella DNA-positive participants demonstrated significantly lower expression of IL-12 and TNF-α mRNA; this may indicate that these bacteria have a suppressive influence on the immune system.
Study Information
pubmed
2022
2022-03-10T00:00:00.000Z
10.1016/j.advms.2022.02.007
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