Genetic polymorphisms of IFNG and IFNGR1 in association with the risk of pulmonary tuberculosis

Objective

Genetic host factors play an important role in controlling individual's susceptibility to the pathogen. This study aims to explore the single and joint effect of genetic polymorphisms of interferon-gamma (IFNG) and its receptor (IFNGR1) in association with the pulmonary tuberculosis in a Chinese Han population.

Methods

This population-based case control study consisted of 1434 pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 1412 healthy controls. Six tag SNPs in IFNG/IFNGR1 were genotyped using TaqMan allelic discrimination technology. The logistic regression model was carried out to analyze the associations between the genotypes and haplotypes and the risk of tuberculosis by calculating the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

After the Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, three SNPs (rs2234711, rs1327475 and rs7749390) in IFNGR1 gene were observed to be significantly associated with the altered risks of tuberculosis. For the SNP rs2234711, individuals carrying C allele (vs. T) showed a decreased risk, with the adjusted OR(95% CI) of 0.82(0.76–0.91). The additive model revealed that each additional allele contributed about 14% decreased risk (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77–0.95). Moreover, we observed a strong linkage disequilibrium between rs2234711 and rs3799488. Compared with the common rs2234711C–rs3799488C haplotype, the haplotype rs2234711T–rs3799488C contributed to a significant increase in the risk of tuberculosis (adjusted OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.09–1.41).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that genetic polymorphisms in IFNGR1 gene are involved in the risk of tuberculosis in the Chinese population. Future studies should include a comprehensive sequencing analysis to identify the specific causative sequence variants underlying the observed associations.     

结核分枝杆菌的耐药基因及其相关分子机制

结核分枝杆菌原发性和继发性耐药是当前控制和治疗结核病面临的重要问题,随着分子遗传学的发展,已经阐明了结核分枝杆菌耐药的分子基础是染色体的突变,影响了药靶本身或激活了药物前体的细菌酶,造成MTB的耐药。本文主要就MTB对其常用药物的耐药机制展开讨论,以便正确认识MTB对不同药物的耐药机制,建立快速检测耐药结核分枝杆菌基因型的分子生物学方法。     

Design,synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of 3,5-dinitrobenzamide derivatives containing fused ring moieties

We report herein the design, synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of 3,5-dinitrobenzamide derivatives containing fused ring moieties. Results reveal that many of the target compounds have considerable in vitro antitubercular activity. Especially, N-((2-(4-fluorophenyl)/N-((2-(3-fluorobenzyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquilin-6-yl)methyl)-3,5-dinitrobenzamides 18a and 20e exhibit potent MIC values of 0.056–0.078?μg/mL against both drug-sensitive Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv strain and two clinically isolated multidrug-resistant MTB (MDR-MTB) strains, opening a new direction for further SAR studies.     

An MCP-Like Protein Interacts with the MamK Cytoskeleton and Is Involved in Magnetotaxis in Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1

Magnetotactic bacteria have the unique capacity of aligning and swimming along geomagnetic field lines, a behavior called magnetotaxis. Although this behavior has been observed for 40 years, little is known about its mechanism. Magnetotactic bacteria synthesize unique organelles, magnetosomes, which are magnetic crystals enveloped by membrane. They form chains with the help of the filamentous cytoskeletal protein MamK and impart a net magnetic-dipole moment to the bacterium. The current model proposes that magnetotaxis comprises passive magnetic orientation and active swimming due to flagellar rotation. We thought that magnetic sensing, via the widely used chemotaxis mechanism, might be actively involved in magnetotaxis. We found that the methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein Amb0994 of Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 was capable of carrying out such a function. Amb0994 is encoded by a gene in the magnetosome island, in which genes essential for magnetosome biosynthesis and magnetotaxis are concentrated. Amb0994 lacks periplasmic sensing domain, which is generally involved in sensing stimuli from outside of cells. By constructing fusions with a derivative of yellow-fluorescent-protein, we showed that Amb0994 localizes to the cell poles, where methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins are usually clustered. We then showed that Amb0994 specifically interacts, via its C-terminal domain, with MamK, using a bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay. Moreover, overproduction of Amb0994 slowed down the response of the bacterium to changes in the direction of the magnetic field. Most importantly, the C-terminal domain of Amb0994, which interacts with MamK, is responsible for this phenotype, suggesting that the interaction between Amb0994 and MamK plays a key role in magnetotaxis. These results lead to a novel explanation for magnetotaxis at the molecular level.     

The diagnostic impact of implementing a molecular-based algorithm to standard mycobacterial screening at a reference laboratory with an intermediate prevalence for non-respiratory samples

Rapid, reliable results can be given by molecular, direct detection and identification of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB/Mtb) complex from clinical samples. The Xpert MTB/RIF assay is an assay that has been availablefor more than a decade for identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and resistance to rifampicin. However, there is minimal evidence on its clinical usefulness in paucibacillary, non-respiratory samples. The Xpert MTB/RIF assay clinical utility index, its diagnostic characteristics and the number required to diagnose 2935 non-respiratory specimens submitted for routine mycobacterial work-up in a reference laboratory in an intermediate prevalence setting per specimen form were evaluated. The Xpert MTB/RIF assay showed a variable clinical utility index and number required to diagnose (NND) depending on the type of specimen, which was moderate in tissue biopsies (NND = 1.8) and excellent in pus and urine samples, compared to acid-fast microscopy and culture as a gold standard technique (NND = 1.1 and 1.2). Microscopy, on the other hand, consistently showed a weak to fair index of clinical usefulness in all specimen forms, with in NND of 2.3–12.5. The NND for detecting tuberculous infection in the cerebrospinal fluid by the Xpert MTB/RIF assay was noted to be 1.2, with a moderate clinical utility index of 0.8. The evidence presented indicates that the overall appropriate diagnostic utility of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay is clinically successful in most non-respiratory samples. To check the cost-effectiveness and prognostic effect of integrating this completely automated molecular-based assay into the routine testing algorithm for non-respiratory mycobacterial specimens, further data must be collected.     

结核分枝杆菌eis基因突变与氨基糖苷耐药的研究

目的：探讨结核分枝杆菌eis基因突变与氨基糖苷耐药之间的相互关系。方法：以本室保存的35株已确定耐一线药物（异烟肼、利福平、乙胺丁醇、链霉素）的结核分支杆菌为研究对象,应用BECTEC960测定其二线药物（阿米卡星、卡那霉素）的耐药情况,同时应用基因测序的方法测定结核分枝杆菌eis基因突变情况,分析eis基因突变与氨基糖苷耐药之间的相互关系。结果：氨基糖苷耐药的部分结核分杆杆菌中,eis基因487位碱基出现突变,相应的163位氨基酸密码子由CGT突变为CAT,即由缬氨酸变为异亮氨酸。结论：eis基因V163I突变（缬氨酸变为异亮氨酸）可能与结核分枝杆菌耐氨基糖苷类药物有关。     

结核分枝杆菌Rv1759c结构域与IL-2融合蛋白的表达与鉴定

目的：构建结核分枝杆菌（MTB）Rv1759c结构域（Rv1759cD domain,Rv1759cD）与人IL-2（hIL-2）融合基因,并在大肠杆菌中表达获得重组的融合蛋白Rv1759cD-IL-2。方法：用PCR方法从MTB H37Rv基因组扩增Rv1759cD基因片段,测序后与hIL-2基因构建融合基因,并克隆到表达载体pProEX HTa。融合基因在大肠杆菌DH5α中诱导表达,经SDS-PAGE分析后,分别与His mAb、IL-2mAb和结核病人血清进行Western-blot鉴定,采用Ni-NTA亲和层析纯化蛋白。结果：获得的Rv1759cD基因经测序与GenBank公布的序列完全一致,与hIL-2基因连接后,构建的融合基因在大肠杆菌中有效表达。表达蛋白相对分子量为30KDAa,与预测值相符;Western-blot结果显示,在相对分子量30KDAa处分别与His mAb和鼠抗IL-2 mAb形成结合带,并与结核病人血清出现特异性结合。通过Ni-NTA亲和层析,可得到纯化的目的蛋白。结论：成功表达、纯化和鉴定了Rv1759cD-IL-2融合蛋白,并有可能作为新型结核病疫苗的靶抗原。     

结核分枝杆菌的耐药基因及其相关分子机制

结核分枝杆菌原发性和继发性耐药是当前控帝】和治疗结核病面临的重要问题,随着分子遗传学的发展,已经阐明了结核分枝杆菌耐药的分子基础是染色体的突变,影响了药靶本身或激活了药物前体的细菌酶,造成MTB的耐药。本文主要就MTB对其常用药物的耐药机制展开讨论,以便正确认识MTB对不同药物的耐药机制,建立快速检测耐药结核分枝杆菌基因型的分子生物学方法。     

Xpert MTB/RIF在人类免疫缺陷病毒感染/艾滋病患者中诊断结核病的价值

为探讨利福平耐药结核分枝杆菌实时荧光定量核酸扩增检测技术(Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampicin,Xpert MTB/RIF)在人类免疫缺陷病毒感染/艾滋病(human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome,HIV/AIDS)患者中诊断结核病的价值,本研究回顾性分析了2018年1月1日—2020年12月31日复旦大学附属公共卫生临床中心感染与免疫科收治的801例HIV/AIDS合并疑似结核病患者的临床资料。801例患者中,657例进行了Xpert MTB/RIF、外周血结核感染T细胞斑点试验(tuberculosis T cell spot test,T-SPOT.TB)、抗酸染色涂片镜检和BACTEC MGIT 960液体培养等检测。以液体培养及菌型鉴定结果作为结核病诊断的“金标准”,确诊结核病92例,Xpert MTB/RIF、T-SPOT.TB、抗酸染色涂片镜检在HIV/AIDS患者中诊断结核病(包括肺结核和肺外结核)的灵敏度分别为72.8%、55.4%和69.6%,特异度分别为96.8%、90.3%和84.4%,与“金标准”行一致性检验,Kappa值分别为0.719 (P<0.01)、0.430(P<0.01)和0.424(P<0.01)。Xpert MTB/RIF检测502份呼吸道样本,结果显示其诊断肺结核的灵敏度和特异度分别为66.7%和96.0%;在痰涂片阳性和阴性的患者中,Xpert MTB/RIF诊断肺结核的灵敏度分别为77.4%和35.2%,特异度分别为87.7%和 97.8%。采用Xpert MTB/RIF检测343份肺外标本,结果显示其诊断肺外结核的灵敏度和特异度分别为63.3%和95.2%。以上结果提示,Xpert MTB/RIF在HIV/AIDS患者中诊断结核病(包括肺结核和肺外结核)具有较高的灵敏度和特异度,诊断肺结核的灵敏度高于肺外结核,因此推荐将其作为HIV/AIDS患者疑似结核病的首选检测方法。