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BMC Pulmonary Medicine
Published in: BMC Pulmonary Medicine 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Immune response to Propionibacterium acnes in patients with sarcoidosis – in vivo and in vitro

Authors: Jonas Christian Schupp, Sandrine Tchaptchet, Niklas Lützen, Peggy Engelhard, Joachim Müller-Quernheim, Marina A Freudenberg, Antje Prasse

Published in: BMC Pulmonary Medicine | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Propionibacterium acnes was found in lungs and lymph nodes of patients with sarcoidosis and may induce hypersensitivity type granuloma formation. Data regarding the immune response to P. acnes of European sarcoid patients are scarce.

Methods

We assessed the total IgG and IgA amount and specific antibodies to P. acnes and to Staphylococcus aureus, serving as a control, in BAL fluid of 64 patients with sarcoidosis and of 21 healthy volunteers. In a subcohort of sarcoid patients and controls, TNF-α and GM-CSF production of BAL cells stimulated with heat-killed P. acnes were measured.

Results

In sarcoid patients, the total IgG and IgA levels in BAL fluid were significantly elevated compared to healthy volunteers. IgG and IgA titres against P. acnes and S. aureus were increased in sarcoid patients, yet based on the total amount of antibodies, only antibodies directed against P. acnes were relatively and significantly increased. Furthermore, BAL cells of sarcoid patients produced significantly more TNF-α and GM-CSF upon stimulation with heat-killed P. acnes compared to controls.

Conclusions

Patients with sarcoidosis had elevated levels of specific antibodies against P. acnes which suggest contact with this bacterium in the past. Furthermore, BAL cells of sarcoid patients produced inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and GM-CSF) upon stimulation with P. acnes indicating potential involvement of this pathogen in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis in some patients.
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Metadata
Title
Immune response to Propionibacterium acnes in patients with sarcoidosis – in vivo and in vitro
Authors
Jonas Christian Schupp
Sandrine Tchaptchet
Niklas Lützen
Peggy Engelhard
Joachim Müller-Quernheim
Marina A Freudenberg
Antje Prasse
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pulmonary Medicine / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2466
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-015-0070-7

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