| Summary: | Cytokines are mediators of inflammation induced in the course of <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> infection (CDI). High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) is a cytokine playing an important role in the pathogenesis of numerous inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The aim of the study was to assess the <i>HMGB1</i> gene expression in the course of CDI. We have performed a prospective case-control study- including 55 adult patients, among them 27 with CDI, who were hospitalized from October 2018 to February 2020 and 28 healthy volunteers. We assessed: a complete blood count with differential leukocyte count, blood creatinine, albumin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Then, the expression of the <i>HMGB1</i> gene was evaluated using quantitative Real-Time PCR. Patients with CDI were found to have a significant increase in white blood cells (WBC), neutrophil count, and CRP levels, they also exhibited decreased levels of albumin compared with controls. The <i>HMGB1</i> gene expression was significantly lower among patients with CDI compared with the control group and significantly, inversely correlated with CRP level in blood. In conclusion, we have observed a decreased expression of the <i>HMGB1</i> gene in peripheral blood of patients with mild or moderate CDI, which hypothetically could reflect their diminished capability to fight the pathogen.
|
|---|