Host Immune Responses Differ between M. africanum- and M. tuberculosis-Infected Patients following Standard Anti-tuberculosis Treatment.

• Published in: PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: Leopold D Tientcheu, Mariëlle C Haks, Schadrac C Agbla, Jayne S Sutherland, Ifedayo M Adetifa, Simon Donkor, Edwin Quinten, Mohammed Daramy, Martin Antonio, Beate Kampmann, Tom H M Ottenhoff, Hazel M Dockrell, Martin O Ota
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2016
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0004701; https://doaj.org/article/4e97c666c9cc457eb48530f44b0ac7a6

Epidemiological differences exist between Mycobacterium africanum (Maf)- and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-infected patients, but to date, contributing host factors have not been characterised. We analysed clinical outcomes, as well as soluble markers and gene expression profiles in unstimulated, and ESAT6/CFP-10-, whole-Maf- and Mtb-stimulated blood samples of 26 Maf- and 49 Mtb-HIV-negative tuberculosis patients before, and after 2 and 6 months of anti-tuberculosis therapy. Before treatment, both groups had similar clinical parameters, but differed in few cytokines concentration and gene expression profiles. Following treatment the body mass index, skinfold thickness and chest X-ray scores showed greater improvement in the Mtb- compared to Maf-infected patients, after adjusting for age, sex and ethnicity (p = 0.02; 0.04 and 0.007, respectively). In addition, in unstimulated blood, IL-12p70, IL12A and TLR9 were significantly higher in Maf-infected patients, while IL-15, IL-8 and MIP-1α were higher in Mtb-infected patients. Overnight stimulation with ESAT-6/CFP-10 induced significantly higher levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α production, as well as gene expression of CCL4, IL1B and TLR4 in Mtb- compared to Maf-infected patients. Our study confirms differences in clinical features and immune genes expression and concentration of proteins associated with inflammatory processes between Mtb- and Maf-infected patients following anti-tuberculosis treatment These findings have public health implications for treatment regimens, and biomarkers for tuberculosis diagnosis and susceptibility.