An exploratory analysis of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 as a new biomarker of asymptomatic Leishmania infantum infection in solid-organ transplant recipients

Abstract

Objective: Sensitive and less laborious assays are needed to detect asymptomatic Leishmania among solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Using SLA-stimulated plasma from SOT recipients living where an outbreak of Leishmania infantum occurred, we examined potential biomarkers to identify asymptomatic Leishmania infections. Methods: Concentrations of cytokines/chemokines in plasma from whole blood stimulated with specific Leishmania antigen (SLA) were compared against infection status as determined by a currently used cell proliferation assay. Results: Twenty-six percent (13/50) of the SOT recipients had a cell proliferation assay (CPA) indicating asymptomatic infection, and showed higher processed plasma C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10 or IP-10) concentrations than did non-infected subjects (median 2272.0 pg/ml [IQR 1570-2772] vs. 18.2 pg/ml [IQR 1-150.1]; p<0.0001). CXCL10 showed a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 95% compared to CPA. In addition, we demonstrated that the number of asymptomatic infections detected using CXCL10, decreased with distance from a park at the center of the mentioned outbreak. Conclusion: CXCL10 in plasma from SLA-stimulated blood could be a robust biomarker of asymptomatic L. infantum infection in solid organ transplant recipients.