K+ Channels

All samples were assayed according to the manufacturers instructions

All samples were assayed according to the manufacturers instructions. Briefly, 50 l of background, standards, quality controls, and two-fold sample dilution (in triplicate) were loaded into 96-well plates, after which antibody-coated beads were added. were analyzed by multiplex immunoassay. Antibody subclasses, binding, and neutralization against CHOV-glycoprotein (CHOV-GP) were evaluated by ELISA, and flow cytometry. Results High titers of IFN, IL-4, IL-8, and IL-10 serum cytokines were found in the acute individuals. Elevated IL-4 serum levels were found in convalescent and asymptomatic seropositive individuals. High titers of IgG1 subclass were observed across the three cohorts analyzed. Neutralizing antibody response against CHOV-GP was detectable in few acute individuals but was strong in both convalescent and asymptomatic seropositive?individuals. Conclusion A Th1/Th2 cytokine signature is characteristic during acute mild HCPS caused by CHOV infection. High expression of Th2 and IL-8 cytokines are correlated with clinical parameters in acute mild HCPS. In addition, a strong IL-4 signature is associated with different cohorts, including asymptomatic individuals. Furthermore, asymptomatic individuals presented high titers of neutralizing antibodies. within the order (2C4). These viruses circulate worldwide in different natural hosts depending on the geographical region. The main route of transmission occurs when humans come into close contact with rodent excreta (saliva, urine, or feces) and inhale virus-contaminated aerosols (5). In Panama, (CHOV) is the only pathogenic hantavirus that causes HCPS. CHOV is transmitted by the rodent (6), and has an associated lethality of 16.5% (7). This is in contrast to other NWHs that circulate around the Americas, with mortality rates between 35-40%. The highest incidence of CHOV infections have been detected in the provinces of Los Santos (61.4%), Veraguas (16.2%), Cocle (13.5%), and Herrera (6.6%), which are all considered endemic regions in Panama (8). These areas also showed a high percentage of asymptomatic CHOV-seropositive individuals, which ranged from 16 to 62% depending on the geographical area (8C11). Typically, NWH-induced HCPS is a RWJ 50271 severe disease that progresses through three phases: prodromal, cardiopulmonary, and convalescence (1, 10), with the cardiopulmonary phase characterized by severe symptoms, such as pulmonary edema, hypoxia, hypotension, and cardiogenic shock (5). However, CHOV infections cause a wide range of clinical manifestations from asymptomatic infection to more serious expressions of HCPS (9). Despite the potential range of disease severity, CHOV infections are often mild and characterized by fever, weakness, headache, myalgia, and sometimes gastrointestinal RWJ 50271 disorder (8C11). In fact, the finding of a high prevalence of seropositive population implies that a large number of CHOV infections RWJ 50271 are asymptomatic with little to no clinical symptoms and no clinical record (8, 10). While the mechanisms behind the pathogenesis of HCPS are poorly understood, the pathogenesis is likely governed by a complex set of variables, which include factors like the efficiency of immune responses, platelet dysfunction, and deregulation of endothelial cell barrier functions (3). Furthermore, some studies suggest that the immune responses mounted against the virus its self may contribute to the severity of immunopathogenesis (4). Several studies have reported that NWH infection potently induces multiple proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, with increasing levels of interferon- (IFN), tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-), transforming growth factor (TGF-), interleukin (IL) -6, IL-21, and IL-10 all correlated with increasing disease severity and pathogenesis (12C15). In particular, higher levels of IL-6, IL-10, and IFN have been associated with fatal outcomes in ABCC4 Andes virus (ANDV) infection (14, 15). In Europe and Asia, infection with Old World Hantaviruses (OWHs) cause a milder syndrome in humans known as, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). HFRS not only has a milder clinical presentation in the acute phases of disease, but also has lower mortality rates as compared to HCPS, 5-15% vs 35-40%, respectively (3). In comparing samples form HCPS and HFRS patients, one study found that HCPS patients displayed a more proinflammatory cytokine profile as compared to individuals suffering from acute HFRS (16). Altogether these finding suggest that proinflammatory cytokines may be important modulators of HCPS severity. In addition to cytokines, humoral responses likely play a critical role in controlling HCPS em in-vivo /em . It is known.