Lower IgG somatic hypermutation rates during acute dengue virus infection is compatible with a germinal center-independent B cell response

Reads, clonal groups, and lineages numbers per individual and condition. The table shows the number of raw and used sequences as well as the number of clonotypes and lineages per individual. (XLS 30 kb

The Prevalence of Anti-Zein Antibodies: A Comparative Study between Celiac Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic immune-mediated enteropathy triggered by exposure to dietary gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. In contrast, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder affecting the large intestine, without an autoimmune component. Here, we evaluated the prevalence of IgA and IgG antibodies to maize zeins (AZA) in patients with CD and IBS. Using an in-house ELISA assay, the IgA and IgG anti-zein antibodies in the serum of 37 newly diagnosed CD (16 biopsy proved and 21 serological diagnosis) and 375 IBS patients or 302 healthy control (HC) subjects were measured. Elevated levels of IgA AZA were found in CD patients compared with IBS patients (p < 0.01) and HC (p < 0.05). CD patients had the highest prevalence (35.1%), followed by IBS (4.3%) and HCs (2.3%) (p < 0.0001). IgG AZA antibodies were not found in any CD patients, IBS patients, or HC subjects. A significant positive correlation was found between IgA AZA with IgA anti-gliadin (AGA, r = 0.34, p < 0.01) and IgA anti-deaminated gliadin peptides (DGP, r = 0.42, p < 0.001) in the celiac disease group. Taken together, our results show for the first time a higher prevalence of AZA IgA antibodies in newly diagnosed CD patients than in IBS patients, confirming a biased immune response to other gliadin-related prolamins such as maize zeins in genetically susceptible individuals

Elevated circulating levels of IL-21 and IL-22 define a cytokine signature profile in type 2 autoimmune hepatitis patients

Background and aims. Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the liver in which the immunological mechanisms involved in tissue destruction and/or repair are still unclear. Different pro-inflammatory cytokines have been shown to play a determinant role in AIH pathogenesis. Here, we aim to compare the circulating levels of pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, IL-17A/F, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23, and IL-10 in patients with type 2 AIH compared to patients with type 1 AIH and healthy controls (HC). Fourty-six Mexican patients with AIH were recruited in our study. Patients were classified as type 1 or 2 AIH based on immune serological markers. Fourty-four serum samples from healthy individuals were included as controls. Serum cytokine levels were determined by ELISA technique.Results. Compared to healthy controls, serum levels of IL-17F, IL-21, IL-23, IL-10, IL-6, and TNF-α, but not IL-17A and IL-22, were significantly increased in AIH patients. When patients were grouped by aminotransferase activity, a biomarker of active disease, a positive correlation between serum IL-17F and alanine transaminase (rs: 0.4739; P = 0.0009) and aspartate transaminase (rs: 0.4984; P = 0.0004) levels was found. A cytokine signature profile associated with type 2 AIH was characterized by high serum IL-21 (type 1 AIH: 0.66 pg/mL; type 2 AIH: 331.1 pg/mL; P = 0.0042) and IL-22 (type 1 AIH: 0.1 pg/mL; type 2 AIH: 55.26 pg/mL; P = 0.0028) levels.Conclusions. We show for the first time, differential regulation of certain pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with disease progression and AIH type in Mexican patients

Cross-reaction, enhancement, and neutralization activity of dengue virus antibodies against Zika virus: a study in the Mexican population

Zika virus (ZIKV), an emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus, has quickly spread in many regions around the world where dengue virus (DENV) is endemic. This represents a major health concern, given the high homology between these two viruses, which can result in cross-reactivity. The aim of this study was to determine the cross-reacting antibody response of the IgM and IgG classes against the recombinant envelope protein of ZIKV (rE-ZIKV) in sera from patients with acute-phase infection of different clinical forms of dengue, i.e., dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) (before the arrival of ZIKV in Mexico 2010), as well as acute-phase sera of ZIKV patients, together with the implications in neutralization and antibody-dependent enhancement. Differences in IgM responses were observed in a number of DF and DHF patients whose sera cross-reacted with the rE-ZIK antigen, with 42% recognition between acute-phase DHF and ZIKV but 27% recognition between DF and ZIKV. Regarding IgG antibodies, 71.5% from the DF group showed cross-reactivity to rE-ZIKV in contrast with 50% and only 25% of DHF and ZIKV serum samples, respectively, which specifically recognized the homologous antigen. The DHF group showed more enhancement of ZIKV infection of FCRγ-expressing cells compared to the DF group. Furthermore, the DHF group also showed a higher cross-neutralizing ability than that of DF. This is the first report where DF and DHF serum samples were evaluated for cross-reactivity against Zika protein and ZIKV. Furthermore, DENV serum samples cross-protect against ZIKV through neutralizing antibodies but at the same time mediate antibody-dependent enhancement in the sequential ZIKV infection