Low adiposity during early infancy is associated with a low risk for developing dengue hemorrhagic fever: a preliminary model

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 2; p. e88944
• Main Authors: Libraty, Daniel H, Zhang, Lei, Woda, Marcia, Giaya, Kris, Kathivu, Chido Loveness, Acosta, Luz P, Tallo, Veronica, Segubre-Mercado, Edelwisa, Bautista, Analisa, Obcena, AnaMae, Brion, Job D, Capeding, Rosario Z
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 12.02.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adipose tissue; Adiposity; Adult; Age; Babies; Body measurements; Comparative analysis; Cyclic adenosine monophosphate; Cyclic AMP - metabolism; Dengue fever; Dengue hemorrhagic fever; Epidemiology; Families & family life; Fever; Health care; Humans; Illnesses; Immunology; Infant; Infants; Infection; Infections; Infectious diseases; Intracellular Space - drug effects; Intracellular Space - metabolism; Leptin; Leptin - blood; Male; Malnutrition - metabolism; Malnutrition - virology; Medical research; Medical schools; Medicine; Models, Statistical; Monocytes; Monocytes - cytology; Monocytes - drug effects; Monocytes - metabolism; Nutrition; R&D; Research & development; Risk; Rodents; Severe Dengue - epidemiology; Severe Dengue - metabolism; Toll-Like Receptor 7 - metabolism; Toll-Like Receptor 8 - metabolism; Tumor necrosis factor; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - biosynthesis; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Vector-borne diseases; Viral diseases; Viruses
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088944

Dengue virus (DENV) infections range from asymptomatic or mild illness to a severe and potentially life threatening disease, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). DHF occurs in primary DENV infections during early infancy. A prospective clinical study of DENV infections during infancy was conducted in San Pablo, Philippines. We found that infants who developed DHF with a primary DENV infection had higher WHO weight-for-age z scores before and at the time of infection compared to infants with primary DENV infections who did not develop DHF. In addition, TLR 7/8-stimulated tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production from myeloid-derived cells was higher among well-nourished infants. Leptin augmented TLR 7/8-mediated TNF-α production in monocytes and decreased intracellular cAMP levels. Circulating leptin levels were elevated during early infancy and correlated with WHO weight-for-age z scores. Our data support a plausible hypothesis as to why well-nourished infants are at risk for developing DHF with their first DENV infection.