Increased Serum IgG4 Associates with Asthma and Tissue Eosinophilia in Chronic Rhinosinusitis Patients
PATHOGENS
Authors: Ramezanpour, Mahnaz; Hu, Hua; Lau, Aden; Liu, Sha; De Silva, April; Bolt, Harrison; Patterson, Karen; Rischmueller, Maureen; Psaltis, Alkis J.; Wormald, Peter-John; Lester, Susan; Vreugde, Sarah
Abstract
Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a multifactorial disease where microorganisms' innate and adaptive immunity can play a role. This study assessed the total IgG, IgG subclasses, IgE and IgA levels in serum samples from CRS and non-CRS control patients in relation to the disease severity, phenotype, histopathology and comorbidities. Total serum IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4 and IgE was determined from 10 non-CRS controls, 10 CRS without nasal polyp (CRSsNP) and 26 CRS with nasal polyp (CRSwNP) patients using ImmunoCap assays. Tissue lysates were analyzed for IgG levels by ELISA. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to measure the expression of IgE and IgG4 in tissue sections. The presence of anti-nuclear antigens (ANAs) against 12 autoantigens in sera and tissue lysates was determined by immunoblot assays. Total serum IgG/IgG1/IgG2 levels were higher in CRS patients vs. controls (p < 0.001), but were not different between CRSwNP and CRSsNP patients (p = 0.57). Serum IgG4/IgE levels were increased in CRSwNP patients compared to controls (p = 0.006), however, this relationship was attenuated by the inclusion of covariates. Serum IgG4 levels were more strongly associated with asthma (p = 0.038, exact median test) and tissue eosinophilia (Spearman's rank rho = 0.51, p = 0.016) than IgE levels. No systemic ANAs were detected in any of the subjects tested. There was a polyclonal increase in serum immunoglobulins in CRS patients with elevated IgG4/IgE levels in CRSwNP patients having tissue eosinophilia and asthma.
Impact of age and vaccination history on long-term serological responses after symptomatic B. pertussis infection, a high dimensional data analysis
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
Authors: van Twillert, Inonge; Marinovic, Axel A. Bonacic; Kuipers, Betsy; van Gaans-van den Brink, Jacqueline A. M.; Sanders, Elisabeth A. M.; van Els, Cecile A. C. M.
Abstract
Capturing the complexity and waning patterns of co-occurring immunoglobulin (Ig) responses after clinical B. pertussis infection may help understand how the human host gradually loses protection against whooping cough. We applied bi-exponential modelling to characterise and compare B. pertussis specific serological dynamics in a comprehensive database of IgG, IgG subclass and IgA responses to Ptx, FHA, Prn, Fim2/3 and OMV antigens of (ex-) symptomatic pertussis cases across all age groups. The decay model revealed that antigen type and age group were major factors determining differences in levels and kinetics of Ig (sub) classes. IgG-Ptx waned fastest in all age groups, while IgA to Ptx, FHA, Prn and Fim2/3 decreased fast in the younger but remained high in older (ex-) cases, indicating an age-effect. While IgG1 was the main IgG subclass in response to most antigens, IgG2 and IgG3 dominated the anti-OMV response. Moreover, vaccination history plays an important role in post-infection Ig responses, demonstrated by low responsiveness to Fim2/3 in unvaccinated elderly and by elevated IgG4 responses to multiple antigens only in children primed with acellular pertussis vaccine (aP). This work highlights the complexity of the immune response to this re-emerging pathogen and factors determining its Ig quantity and quality.