Table 3.
Laboratory measures
| Analysis | Material | Laboratory parameters and laboratories |
|---|---|---|
| GAS colonisation | Throat swabs | Bacterial group A streptococcal (GAS) population at each individual centre |
| Anti-streptococcal antibody titres | Serum | Anti-streptolysin O (ASO), Anti-desoxyribonuclease B (anti-DNAseB) at LMU |
| Antibodies to non-streptococcal pathogens | Serum | Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Myco_IgG), Chlamydia trachomatis (Chlamy_IgG), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), Borrelia burgdorferi (Borrel_IgG), and Toxoplasma gondii (Toxo_IgG) at LMU |
| Anti-streptococcal immune response | Serum | Antibody responses to GAS multiple antigens at GSK |
| Autoantibodies by cell-based assay | Serum | Anti-neuronal antibodies targeting candidate self-antigens for post-streptococcal neuropsychiatric disorders, mainly dopamine D2 receptors at Bari |
| Cytokine receptors and immunoglobulins | Serum | Interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-17F (IL-17F), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), TNF-RI, TNF-RII, CD14, immunoglobulin subclasses (IgA, IgM, IgG1-4) at Cytolab |
| C-Reactive Protein (CRP) | Serum | Pentameric CRP (pCRP), Monomeric CRP (mCRP) at ApDia |
| Tryptophan and kynurenine pathway intermediates | Serum | Tryptophan (TRP), kynurenine (KYN), kynurenic acid (KYNA), 3-hydroxykynurenine (3HK), xanthurenic acid (XAN), anthranilic acid (AA), quinolinic acid (QUIN), picolinic acid (PIC), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTRP), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA), nicotinic acid (NAD) at LMU |
| Vitamin D | Serum | 25-OH-Vitamin D at LMU |
| T cells and NK cells | Whole blood | IFN-g, CD4/CD8, CD56/CD3 at ProImmune |
| Genotyping and gene expression | PAXgene tubes (RNA), EDTA tubes (DNA) | Genome-wide genetic factors, genotyping and gene expression at deCODE Genetics and Biolytix |
| Hair cortisol | Hair strains 2–4 cm | Cortisol measuring chronic stress in hair at TUD |
See the “Appendix” for laboratory centres