Secondary heterologous dengue infection risk: Disequilibrium between immune regulation and inflammation?

• DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2010.02.005
• Publication Date: 2010-02-11T11:44:46Z
• Authors: Beatriz Sierra; Ana B. Perez; Katrin Vogt; Gissel Garcia; Kathrin Schmolke; Eglys Aguirre; Mayling Alvarez; Florian Kern; Gustavo Kourí; Hans-Dieter Volk; Maria G. Guzman
• Keywords: Adult; Inflammation; Male; 0303 health sciences; Cuba; Dengue Virus; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Dengue; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Risk Factors; Immune System; Cytokines; Humans; Female; Immunologic Memory

Increased serum levels of cytokines released by cells of the immune response have been detected in patients suffering from dengue disease. Likewise, secondary infections by a different dengue virus serotype result in a highest risk of development of the severe dengue disease. Both findings suggest that the memory immune response is one of the key players in the pathogenesis of this disease. Here we take advantage of the particular Cuban epidemiological situation in dengue to analyze a broad spectrum of cell-mediated immune response mediators at mRNA and protein level. Evidences for a regulatory immune pattern in homologous (TGF-beta, IL-10) vs. pro-inflammatory pattern (IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha) in heterologous dengue virus re-challenge were found, suggesting a possible association with the higher incidence of severe dengue cases in the latter case.