Interferon gamma and interferon gamma inducible protein-10 in detecting tuberculosis infection

Smart and Noninvasive SERS Immunosensors for Monitoring Dynamic Expression of Cytokines during Cell Pyroptosis

Accompanying the occurrence of inflammatory reaction to release cytokines, pyroptosis can activate an immune response for resistance against cancer. Consequently, elevated levels of cytokines released by cancer cells are highly correlated with the effectiveness of cancer treatment. Herein, a noninvasive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) immunosensor was developed to sensitively and specifically measure the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a proinflammatory cytokine, during the cell pyroptosis process. The sandwiched structure of the sensor is functionalized with a TNF-α binding antibody for detecting TNF-α at concentrations as low as 1 pg/mL. Importantly, electrical stimulation (ES) can fleetly trigger cancer cell pyroptosis to induce the overexpression of receptor interacting protein 3 (RIP3), which is a significant protein that regulates the inflammatory response. The overexpression of RIP3 can activate caspase-1 to promote the upregulation of cytokine levels. Notably, the cytokine levels of TNF-α released from cancer cells (MCF-7 cells) were apparently higher than those of normal cells (MCF-10A cells) during pyroptosis detected by the SERS immunosensors. Due to its obvious superiorities of simple fabrication and fast readout without sample pretreatment, the developed SERS platform has a potential application value for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Prevalence of Tuberculosis Infection among Various Risk Groups in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Treatment of tuberculosis (TB) infection (TBI) to prevent active TB disease is a key component of the National Strategic Plan to end TB in India, without which the strategies to end TB would be futile. There is a need to rapidly scale up access to effective shorter regimens for tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) to a wider set of risk groups. This applies for identifying high-risk groups for TPT expansion. Thus, our aim with this review is to determine the TBI prevalence in different risk groups in India. We searched databases like Embase, Medline, Scopus, and CINAHL for studies published between 2012 and 2023 to estimate TBI in different risk groups in India. The PRISMA guidelines were followed when reviewing the publications, and a predetermined search strategy was used to find relevant sources across various databases. Using MetaXL (MS excel) software, we pooled data based on a random-effects model, along with heterogeneity testing using Cochrane's Q and I2 statistic. A total of 68 studies were included from 10,521 records. TBI pooled prevalence was estimated using the IGRA data, while in the absence of IGRA data, TST data were utilized. The key findings revealed a total of 36% pooled TBI prevalence for all risk factors, 59% among smokers, 53% among diabetics and alcoholics, 48% among malnourished, 47% among contacts of TB patients, 44% among HIV, 36% among pregnant women, 35% among COVID-19 patients, 31% among healthcare workers, 18% among sarcoidosis patients, and 15% among rheumatoid arthritis patients in India. Our review depicted a high TBI burden among groups such as diabetes mellitus, smokers, malnourished, and alcoholics. WHO has yet to recommend for systematic screening and treatment for TBI among these groups for want of evidence which this study provides, highlighting the need to reprioritize the risk groups for tailored TPT strategies.

The prevalence of tuberculosis infection in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background & objectives

The National Prevalence Survey of India (2019-2021) estimated 31 per cent tuberculosis infection (TBI) burden among individuals above 15 years of age. However, so far little is known about the TBI burden among the different risk groups in India. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis, aimed to estimate the prevalence of TBI in India based on geographies, sociodemographic profile, and risk groups.

Methods

To identify the prevalence of TBI in India, data sources such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Scopus were searched for articles reporting data between 2013-2022, irrespective of the language and study setting. TBI data were extracted from 77 publications and pooled prevalence was estimated from the 15 community-based cohort studies. Articles were reviewed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines and were sourced using a predefined search strategy from different databases.

Results

Out of 10,521 records, 77 studies (46 cross-sectional and 31 cohort studies) were included. The pooled TBI prevalence for India based on the community-based cohort studies was estimated as 41 per cent [95% confidence interval (CI) 29.5-52.6%] irrespective of the risk of acquiring it, while the estimation was 36 per cent (95% CI 28-45%) prevalence observed among the general population excluding high-risk groups. Regions with high active TB burden were found to have a high TBI prevalence such as Delhi and Tamil Nadu. An increasing trend of TBI was observed with increasing age in India.

Interpretation & conclusions

This review demonstrated a high prevalence of TBI in India. The burden of TBI was commensurate with active TB prevalence suggesting possible conversion of TBI to active TB. A high burden was recorded among people residing in the northern and southern regions of the country. Such local epidemiologic variation need to be considered to reprioritize and implement-tailored strategies for managing TBI in India.

Ultrasensitive rapid cytokine sensors based on asymmetric geometry two-dimensional MoS2 diodes

The elevation of cytokine levels in body fluids has been associated with numerous health conditions. The detection of these cytokine biomarkers at low concentrations may help clinicians diagnose diseases at an early stage. Here, we report an asymmetric geometry MoS₂ diode-based biosensor for rapid, label-free, highly sensitive, and specific detection of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a proinflammatory cytokine. This sensor is functionalized with TNF-α binding aptamers to detect TNF-α at concentrations as low as 10 fM, well below the typical concentrations found in healthy blood. Interactions between aptamers and TNF-α at the sensor surface induce a change in surface energy that alters the current-voltage rectification behavior of the MoS₂ diode, which can be read out using a two-electrode configuration. The key advantages of this diode sensor are the simple fabrication process and electrical readout, and therefore, the potential to be applied in a rapid and easy-to-use, point-of-care, diagnostic tool.

Electrochemical Biosensors for Cytokine Profiling: Recent Advancements and Possibilities in the Near Future

Cytokines are soluble proteins secreted by immune cells that act as molecular messengers relaying instructions and mediating various functions performed by the cellular counterparts of the immune system, by means of a synchronized cascade of signaling pathways. Aberrant expression of cytokines can be indicative of anomalous behavior of the immunoregulatory system, as seen in various illnesses and conditions, such as cancer, autoimmunity, neurodegeneration and other physiological disorders. Cancer and autoimmune diseases are particularly adept at developing mechanisms to escape and modulate the immune system checkpoints, reflected by an altered cytokine profile. Cytokine profiling can provide valuable information for diagnosing such diseases and monitoring their progression, as well as assessing the efficacy of immunotherapeutic regiments. Toward this goal, there has been immense interest in the development of ultrasensitive quantitative detection techniques for cytokines, which involves technologies from various scientific disciplines, such as immunology, electrochemistry, photometry, nanotechnology and electronics. This review focusses on one aspect of this collective effort: electrochemical biosensors. Among the various types of biosensors available, electrochemical biosensors are one of the most reliable, user-friendly, easy to manufacture, cost-effective and versatile technologies that can yield results within a short period of time, making it extremely promising for routine clinical testing.

DNA origami-based aptasensors

Traditional analytical techniques face many limitations such as time-consuming process, complicated sample preparation, high consumption of reagents and need for expensive equipment. So, it is important that simple, rapid and sensitive detection methods are introduced. Nucleic acids-based assays, particularly aptamers, have a great impact on modern life sciences for biological analysis and target detection. Aptamer-based biosensors with unique recognition properties including high specificity and affinity, rapid response and simple fabrication have attracted much attention. It is believed that two- and three-dimensional structures, sometimes referred to as DNA origami, using DNA aptamers can show more selective binding affinity and better stability over other nucleic acids forms. In this review, we will focus on recent advances in the development and uses of electrochemical and optical DNA origami-based aptasensors to supply readers with a comprehensive understanding of their improvements. Also, the challenges and awards of these approaches are discussed.

Risk Factors for Indeterminate Interferon-Gamma Release Assay for the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Children-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA) are well-established immunodiagnostic tests for tuberculosis (TB) in adults. In children these tests are associated with higher rates of false-negative and indeterminate results. Age is presumed to be one factor influencing cytokine release and therefore test performance. The aim of this study was to systematically review factors associated with indeterminate IGRA results in pediatric patients. Methods: Systematic literature review guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) searching PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Studies reporting results of at least one commercially available IGRA (QuantiFERON-TB, T-SPOT.TB) in pediatric patient groups were included. Random effects meta-analysis was used to assess proportions of indeterminate IGRA results. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² value. Risk differences were calculated for studies comparing QuantiFERON-TB and T-SPOT.TB in the same study. Meta-regression was used to further explore the influence of study level variables on heterogeneity. Results: Of 1,293 articles screened, 133 studies were included in the final analysis. These assessed QuantiFERON-TB only in 77.4% (103/133), QuantiFERON-TB and T-SPOT.TB in 15.8% (21/133), and T-SPOT.TB only in 6.8% (9/133) resulting in 155 datasets including 107,418 participants. Overall 4% of IGRA results were indeterminate, and T-SPOT.TB (0.03, 95% CI 0.02-0.05) and QuantiFERON-TB assays (0.05, 95% CI 0.04-0.06) showed similar proportions of indeterminate results; pooled risk difference was-0.01 (95% CI -0.03 to 0.00). Significant differences with lower proportions of indeterminate assays with T-SPOT.TB compared to QuantiFERON-TB were only seen in subgroup analyses of studies performed in Africa and in non-HIV-infected immunocompromised patients. Meta-regression confirmed lower proportions of indeterminate results for T-SPOT.TB compared to QuantiFERON-TB only among studies that reported results from non-HIV-infected immunocompromised patients (p < 0.001). Conclusion: On average indeterminate IGRA results occur in 1 in 25 tests performed. Overall, there was no difference in the proportion of indeterminate results between both commercial assays. However, our findings suggest that in patients in Africa and/or patients with immunocompromising conditions other than HIV infection the T-SPOT.TB assay appears to produce fewer indeterminate results.

Application of Venn's diagram in the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis using IFN-γ, IP-10 and adenosine deaminase

BACKGROUND

Pleural tuberculosis (PlTB) is the most common extrapulmonary manifestation of this infectious disease which still presents high mortality rates worldwide. Conventional diagnostic tests for PlTB register multiple limitations, including the lack of sensitivity of microbiological methods on pleural specimens and the need of invasive procedures such as pleural biopsy performance. In this scenario, the search for biological markers on pleural fluid (PF) has been the target of several studies as a strategy to overcome the limitations of PlTB diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the use either isolated or in combination with adenosine deaminase (ADA), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interferon-gamma inducible protein of 10-kD (IP-10) levels on PF in order to guide an accurate anti-TB treatment in microbiologically non-confirmed cases.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Eighty patients presenting pleural effusion under investigation were enrolled in a cross-sectional study conducted at Pedro Ernesto University Hospital, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Peripheral blood (PB) and PF samples collected from all patients were applied to the commercial IFN-γ release assay, QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube, and samples were analyzed for IFN-γ and IP-10 by immunoassays. ADA activity was determined on PF by the colorimetric method. Based on microbiological and histological criteria, patients were categorized as follow: confirmed PlTB (n = 16), non-confirmed PlTB (n = 17) and non-PlTB (n = 47). The Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen-specific production of IFN-γ and IP-10 on PB or PF did not show significant differences. However, the basal levels of these biomarkers, as well as the ADA activity on PF, were significantly increased in confirmed PlTB in comparison to non-PlTB group. Receiver operating characteristics curves were performed and the best cut-off points of these three biomarkers were estimated. Their either isolated or combined performances (sensitivity [Se], specificity [Sp], positive predictive value [PPV], negative predictive value [NPV] and accuracy [Acc]) were determined and applied to Venn's diagrams among the groups. Based on the confirmed PlTB cases, IFN-γ showed the best performance of them at a cut-off point of 2.33 IU/mL (Se = 93.8% and Sp = 97.9%) followed by ADA at a cut-off of 25.80 IU/L (Se = 100% and Sp = 84.8%) and IP-10 (Cut-point = 4,361.90 pg/mL, Se = 75% and Sp = 82.6%). IFN-γ plus ADA (cut-point: 25.80 IU/L) represent the most accurate biomarker combination (98.4%), showing Se = 93.7%, Sp = 100%, PPV = 100% and NPV = 97.9%. When this analysis was applied in non-confirmed PlTB, 15/17 (88.2%) presented at least two positive biomarkers in combination.

CONCLUSION

IFN-γ, IP-10, and ADA in PlTB effusions are significantly higher than in non-PlTB cases. IFN-γ is an excellent rule-in and rule-out test compared to IP-10 and ADA. The combination of IFN-γ and ADA, in a reviewed cut-off point, showed to be particularly useful to clinicians as their positive results combined prompts immediate treatment for TB while both negative results suggest further investigation.

Highly Multiplexed Proteomic Analysis of Quantiferon Supernatants To Identify Biomarkers of Latent Tuberculosis Infection

The tests for diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) are limited by a poor predictive value for identifying people at the highest risk for progressing to active tuberculosis (TB) and have various sensitivities and specificities in different populations. Identifying a more robust signature for LTBI is important for TB prevention and elimination. A pilot study was conducted with samples from immigrants to the United States that were screened for LTBI by the three commercially approved tests, namely, the tuberculin skin test (TST), the Quantiferon-TB Gold in-tube (QFT-GIT), and the T-SPOT.TB (T-SPOT). QFT-GIT supernatants from 13 people with concordant positive results and 26 people with concordant negative results were analyzed via the highly multiplexed SOMAscan proteomic assay. The proteins in the stimulated supernatants that distinguished LTBI from controls included interleukin-2 (IL-2), monocyte chemotactic protein 2 (MCP-2), interferon gamma inducible protein-10 (IP-10), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 14 (TNFSF14, also known as LIGHT), monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG), and granzyme B (P <0.00001). In addition, antigen stimulation increased the expression of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) and activin AB in LTBI samples. In nil tubes, LIGHT was the most significant marker (P <0.0001) and was elevated in LTBI subjects. Other prominent markers in nonstimulated QFT-GIT supernatants were the complement-3 components C3b, iC3b, and C3d, which were upregulated in LTBI and markedly decreased upon stimulation. We found known and novel proteins that warrant further studies for developing improved tests for LTBI, for predicting progression to active disease, and for discriminating LTBI from active TB.

Cytokine Patterns in Tuberculosis Infection; IL-1ra, IL-2 and IP-10 Differentiate Borderline QuantiFERON-TB Samples from Uninfected Controls

Background

Interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) do not discriminate between active tuberculosis (TB) and latent TB infection (LTBI), which limit their use in TB endemic areas. Subjects with QuantiFERON-TB (QFT) results around the diagnostic cut-off more likely show inconsistent results on serial testing which makes the interpretation of the assay difficult. We have studied potential biomarkers in patients with various stages of TB infection and with borderline QFT tests compared to those with higher values.

Methods

27 soluble biomarkers were analysed in QFT supernatants from patients with active TB (n = 18), individuals with LTBI (n = 48) and from QFT negative controls (n = 16) by the Multiplex bead assay. The LTBI group was classified into two groups according to QFT IFN-γ levels; QFT borderline (0.35–0.70 IU/mL, n = 11) or QFT high (>0.70 IU/mL, n = 36).

Results

The levels of IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-13, IL-15, IFN-γ, IP-10 and MCP-1 in background corrected TB antigen stimulated supernatants (TBAg-Nil) significantly distinguished both active TB and LTBI QFT high groups from the QFT negative controls (p≤0.004). In addition, IL-1ra, IL-2 and IP-10 significantly differentiated the QFT borderline group from the controls (p≤0.001). Still, in the QFT borderline group the IL-1ra and IP-10 levels were not significant different from neither the QFT high nor the active TB group, whereas the IL-2 levels were lower (p≤0.003). The level of IP-10 showed the best separation between the QFT borderline group and the QFT negative controls (AUC 0.92) and offered 100% sensitivity for active TB.

Conclusion

IL-1ra, IL-2 and IP-10 differentiate QFT borderline samples from uninfected controls and the majority of QFT borderline subjects were classified as LTBI by these markers. Still, inconsistency was seen, and further studies are needed to examine the performance of alternative markers before concluded if they could be used as diagnostics tools.

Evaluation of cytokine responses against novel Mtb antigens as diagnostic markers for TB disease

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the accuracy of host markers detected in Mtb antigen-stimulated whole blood culture supernatant in the diagnosis of TB.

METHODS

Prospectively, blood from 322 individuals with presumed TB disease from six African sites was stimulated with four different Mtb antigens (Rv0081, Rv1284, ESAT-6/CFP-10, and Rv2034) in a 24 h whole blood stimulation assay (WBA). The concentrations of 42 host markers in the supernatants were measured using the Luminex multiplex platform. Diagnostic biosignatures were investigated through the use of multivariate analysis techniques.

RESULTS

17% of the participants were HIV infected, 106 had active TB disease and in 216 TB was excluded. Unstimulated concentrations of CRP, SAA, ferritin and IP-10 had better discriminating ability than markers from stimulated samples. Accuracy of marker combinations by general discriminant analysis (GDA) identified a six analyte model with 77% accuracy for TB cases and 84% for non TB cases, with a better performance in HIV uninfected patients.

CONCLUSIONS

A biosignature of 6 cytokines obtained after stimulation with four Mtb antigens has moderate potential as a diagnostic tool for pulmonary TB disease individuals and stimulated marker expression had no added value to unstimulated marker performance.

Multicenter clinical evaluation of three commercial reagent kits based on the interferon-gamma release assay for the rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis in China

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the performance of three interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) kits in detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in China.

METHODS

A multicenter clinical trial was used to compare the effectiveness and application of the three kits. A total of 1026 participants were enrolled at three hospitals, including 597 tuberculosis (TB) patients diagnosed clinically (517 patients with pulmonary TB and 80 patients with extrapulmonary TB) and 429 negative controls (244 patients with pulmonary disease but not TB, or with non-tuberculosis mycobacterial lung diseases, and 185 healthy people). Detection performance indicators including sensitivity, specificity, and the Youden index (YI) were used to evaluate performance.

RESULTS

Through bacterial culture evaluation, 224 of the 517 pulmonary TB patients were positive and all 429 negative controls were negative. When the gold standard bacterial methods were used, the sensitivity, specificity, and YI were 89.7% (201/224), 91.1% (391/429), and 0.81 for T-SPOT.TB, 86.2% (193/224), 87.2% (374/429), and 0.73 for QB-SPOT, and 83.9% (188/224), 88.6% (380/429), and 0.73 for TB-IGRA, respectively. There were no significant differences in the sensitivity and specificity of the three kits.

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed that the three kits had very high sensitivity and specificity and exhibited a good performance for the detection of M. tuberculosis infection.

What steps do we need to take to improve diagnosis of tuberculosis in children?

Tuberculosis still represents a big global public health challenge. The diagnosis of tuberculosis and the differentiation between active and latent tuberculosis remain difficult, particularly in childhood, because of the lack of a gold standard test for diagnosis. In the last decade, novel diagnostic assays have been developed. Among immunologic tests, new assays based on the measurement of different cytokines released by specific T cells in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens, other than INF-γ, have been investigated. Promising results rely on nucleic acid amplification techniques, also able to detect drugs resistance. Innovative research fields studied the modifications of CD27 expression in T cells as well as different host gene expression in response to M. tuberculosis. Further studies are needed to assess the diagnostic value and the accuracy of these new assays.

A comparison of interferon-γ and IP-10 for the diagnosis of tuberculosis

OBJECTIVE

Interferon-γ and IP-10 release assays are diagnostic tests for tuberculosis infection. We have compared the accuracy of IP-10 and QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-tube [QFT-IT] in Tanzanian children suspected of having active tuberculosis (TB).

METHODS

Hospitalized Tanzanian children with symptoms of TB were tested with the QFT-IT and IP-10 tests and retrospectively classified into diagnostic groups. Adults with confirmed TB were assessed in parallel.

RESULTS

A total of 203 children were included. The median age was 3.0 years (interquartile range: 1.2-7.0), 38% were HIV infected, 36% were aged <2 years, and 58% had a low weight-for-age. IP-10 and QFT-IT test performance was comparable but sensitivity was low: 33% (1 of 3) in children with confirmed TB and 29% (8 of 28) in children with probable TB. Rates of indeterminate responders were high: 29% (59 of 203) for IP-10 and 26% (53 of 203) for QFT-IT. Age <2 years was associated with indeterminate test outcome for both IP-10 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.2; P = .02) and QFT-IT (aOR: 2.4; P = .01). TB exposure was associated with positive IP-10 test outcome (aOR: 3.6; P = .01) but not with positive QFT-IT outcome (aOR 1.4; P = .52). In 102 adults, test sensitivity was 80% for both tests (P = .248).

CONCLUSIONS

Although IP-10 and QFT-IT performed well in Tanzanian adults, the tests exhibited an equally poor performance in diagnosing active TB in children. Test performance was especially compromised in young children. Neither test can be recommended for use in hospitalized children in high-burden settings.

IP-10 is an accurate biomarker for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in children

OBJECTIVE

Performance of IFN-γ assays in children is compromised. Therefore, we investigated the utility of IP-10 for the detection of active tuberculosis (TB) and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) diagnosis in children; comparing its positivity with QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFN-G-IT) and T-SPOT.TB.

METHODS

We studied 230 children from three groups: active TB, screening (healthy children without known exposure to active TB patient screened at school or by their paediatrician) and contact-tracing studies. IFN-γ release was determined by QFN-G-IT and T-SPOT.TB. IP-10 was detected in QFN-G-IT supernatants by ELISA.

RESULTS

When combining QFN-G-IT and IP-10 assays, positive results improved significantly from 38.3% in QFN-G-IT and 33.9% in IP-10 to 41.3%. Age and type of contact were significant risk factors associated with positive QFN-G-IT and IP-10 results. IP-10 levels after antigen-specific stimulation were significantly higher in comparison to IFN-γ levels. Correlation between the three assays was good (κ = 0.717-0.783).

CONCLUSIONS

IP-10 cytokine is expressed in response to TB specific-antigens used in QFN-G-IT. In conclusion, the use of IFN-γ T-cell based assays in combination with an additional IP-10 assay detection could be useful for diagnosing active TB and LTBI in children.

Benzylideneacetophenone derivatives attenuate IFN-γ-induced IP-10/CXCL10 production in orbital fibroblasts of patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy through STAT-1 inhibition

The aim of the present study was to identify a new candidate anti-inflammatory compound for use in the active stage of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Benzylideneacetophenone compound JC3 [(2E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)phenylpro-2-en-l-one] was synthesized based on a structural modification of yakuchinone B, a constituent of the seeds of Alpinia oxyphylla, which belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), has been widely used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory phytochemical. Orbital fibroblasts were primarily cultured from patients with TAO, and the potential of JC3 to suppress the interferon (IFN)-γ-induced protein (IP)-10/CXCL10 production in these cells was determined. IFN-γ strongly increased the level of IP-10/CXCL10 in orbital fibroblasts from patients with TAO. JC3 exerted a significant inhibitory effect on the IFN-γ-induced increase in IP-10/CXCL10 in a dose-dependent manner; its potency was greater than that of an identical concentration of yakuchinone B with no toxicity to cells at the concentration range used. Moreover, the constructed dimer and trimer polystructures of JC3, showed greater potency than JC3 in suppressing the IFN-γ-induced production of IP-10/CXCL10. JC3 significantly attenuated the IP-10/CXCL10 mRNA expression induced by IFN-γ, and a gel-shift assay showed that JC3 suppressed IFN-γ-induced DNA binding of signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT-1) in TAO orbital fibroblasts. Our results provide initial evidence that the JC3 compound reduces the levels of IP-10/CXCL10 protein and mRNA induced by IFN-γ in orbital fibroblasts of TAO patients. Therefore, JC3 might be considered as a future candidate for therapeutic application in TAO that exerts its effects by modulating the pathogenic mechanisms in orbital fibroblasts.

Diagnostic accuracy of interferon gamma-induced protein 10 for tuberculosis: a meta-analysis

The diagnostic accuracy of tuberculosis (TB) remains a clinical challenge, and a number of studies have used the interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10) in the diagnosis of TB. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to determine the overall accuracy of IP-10 in the diagnosis of TB. A systematic review of studies published in English from Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library was conducted and the data concerning the accuracy of IP-10 in the diagnosis of TB were pooled. The methodological quality of each study was assessed by QUADAS (quality assessment for studies of diagnostic accuracy). Statistical analysis was performed by employing Meta-Disc 1.4 soft-ware and STATA. The overall test performance was summarized using receiver operating characteristic curves. 14 studies, based on 2075 subjects, met the inclusion criteria. The summary estimates for IP-10 in the diagnosis of TB were: sensitivity 0.73 (95% CI, 0.71-0.76), specificity 0.83 (95% CI, 0.81-0.86), positive likelihood ratio 7.08 (95% CI, 3.94-12.72), negative likelihood ratio 0.26 (95% CI, 0.20-0.35) and diagnostic odds ratio 29.50 (95% CI, 14.43-60.30), and the area under the curve was 0.88. Our findings suggest that IP-10 may improve the accuracy of TB diagnosis, while the results of IP-10 assays should be interpreted in parallel with conventional test results and other clinical findings.