Journal article
IFN-γ and IL-5 whole blood response directed against mycolactone polyketide synthase domains in patients with Mycobacterium ulcerans infection
AD Loglo, M Frimpong, MS Duah, F Sarfo, FN Sarpong, B Agbavor, JK Boakye-Appiah, KM Abass, M Dongyele, M Frempong, S Pidot, M Wansbrough-Jones, TP Stinear, V Roupie, K Huygen, RO Phillips
Peerj | PEERJ INC | Published : 2018
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5294
Abstract
Background: Buruli ulcer is a disease of the skin and soft tissues caused by infection with a slow growing pathogen, Mycobacterium ulcerans. A vaccine for this disease is not available but M. ulcerans possesses a giant plasmid pMUM001 that harbours the polyketide synthase (PKS) genes encoding a multi-enzyme complex needed for the production of its unique lipid toxin called mycolactone, which is central to the pathogenesis of Buruli ulcer. We have studied the immunogenicity of enzymatic domains in humans with M. ulcerans disease, their contacts, as well as non-endemic areas controls. Methods: Between March 2013 and August 2015, heparinized whole blood was obtained from patients confirmed with..
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Awarded by European Commission
Funding Acknowledgements
This work was jointly funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) under the MRC/DFID Concordat agreement and is also part of the EDCTP2 programme supported by the European Union (Reference MR/J01477X/1). The work was also partially funded by BuruliVac (Identification and development of vaccine candidates for Buruli Ulcer Disease; Grant agreement FP7 241500, www.burulivac.eu). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.