Polymorphisms in the STAT4 gene and tuberculosis susceptibility in a Chinese Han population

Association between STAT4 gene polymorphism and susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis in the Moldavian population

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) plays a crucial role in the host immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This study investigates the association between STAT4 gene polymorphisms and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) risk in the Moldavian population. A total of 272 TB patients and 251 community-matched controls underwent screening for functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs897200 and rs7574865 in the STAT4 gene. The minor T allele and the TT/CT genotype of rs897200 demonstrated a significant association with reduced pulmonary TB risk (allelic model: adjusted OR = .74, p = .025; log-additive model: adjusted OR = .72, p = .02; and dominant model: adjusted OR = .65, p = .023), indicating a protective effect. Similar associations, characterized by an even more pronounced reduction in risk, were observed among females and late-onset TB patients (>44 years). No significant associations were found for rs7574865. In addition, a combined genotype analysis incorporating 43 SNPs from our previous studies revealed potential associations, such as STAT4 rs897200 CT with IFNG rs2430561 AA (adjusted OR = .36, p = .0025) and STAT4 rs897200 CT with TNFA rs1800629 GA (adjusted OR = .33, p = .0012). This study emphasizes the significant association of STAT4 rs897200 with pulmonary TB risk in the Moldavian population, underscoring its role in the disease development.

The positivity rates and drug resistance patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using nucleotide MALDI-TOF MS assay among suspected tuberculosis patients in Shandong, China: a multi-center prospective study

Objective

To investigate the positivity rates and drug resistance characteristics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) among suspected tuberculosis (TB) patients in Shandong Province, the second-largest population province in China.

Methods

A prospective, multi-center study was conducted from April 2022 to June 2023. Pathogen and drug resistance were identified using nucleotide matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (nucleotide MALDI-TOF MS).

Results

Of 940 suspected TB patients included in this study, 552 cases were found to be infected with MTB giving an overall positivity rate of 58.72%. Total of 346 cases were resistant to arbitrary anti-TB drug (62.68%), with Zibo (76.47%), Liaocheng and Weihai (both 69.23%) ranking top three and TB treatment history might be a related factor. Monoresistance was the most common pattern (33.53%), with isoniazid the highest at 12.43%, followed by rifampicin at 9.54%. Further analysis of gene mutations conferring resistance revealed diverse types with high heteroresistance rate found in multiple anti-TB drugs.

Conclusion

A relatively high rate of MTB positivity and drug resistance was found in Shandong Province during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating the need for strengthening rapid identification of species and drug resistance among suspected TB patients to guide better medication and minimize the occurrence of drug resistance.

Polymorphisms of the BCL2 gene associated with susceptibility to tuberculosis

Although tuberculosis (TB) is a serious public health concern, we still don’t understand why only 10% of people infected will develop the disease. Apoptosis plays a role in the interaction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) with the human host and it may be modified by subtle alterations in the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) gene, an anti-apoptotic regulatory element. Therefore, we investigated whether there is an association between BCL2 polymorphisms and susceptibility to TB by analyzing 130 TB cases, 108 subjects with latent TB infection (LTBI), and 163 healthy controls (HC). Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidential intervals (95% CIs) for possible associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in BCL2 and the risk of tuberculosis. We found that the G allele of rs80030866 (OR=0.62, 95%CI:0.42-0.91, P=0.015), and also the G allele of rs9955190 (OR=0.58, 95%CI:0.38-0.88, P=0.011) were less frequent in the TB group compared with the LTBI group. In addition, individuals with rs2551402 CC genotype were more likely to have LTBI than those with AA genotype (OR=2.166, 95%CI:1.046-4.484, P=0.037). Our study suggests that BCL2 gene polymorphisms may be correlated with susceptibility to both TB and LTBI.

Genetic Polymorphisms of IFNG and IFNGR1 with Latent Tuberculosis Infection

Previous studies indicated that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of interferon gamma (IFNG) and IFNG receptor 1 (IFNGR1) may be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in different populations. In order to further explore the results in a Chinese Han population, this study was designed to investigate potential associations between the polymorphisms in IFNG and IFNGR1 and susceptibility to latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and/or PTB in a Chinese Han population. A total of 209 PTB, 173 LTBI, and 183 healthy control subjects (HCS) were enrolled in our study. Genotyping was conducted using an improved multiplex ligase detection reaction (iMLDR). We performed a logistic regression including sex and age as covariates to test the effect of alleles/genotypes on LTBI and/or TB. All six markers studied in IFNG and IFNGR1 conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The IFNG rs1861494 was significantly associated with LTBI in recessive model, and the CC+CT genotype decreased risk of LTBI by 50% (P = 0.046, OR = 0.50, 95%CI: 0.25-0.99). The IFNGR1 rs2234711 was significantly associated with LTBI, and allele A increased the risk of LTBI by 55% (P = 0.047, OR = 1.55, 95%CI: 1.00-2.40). In the present study, we found that IFNG and IFNGR1 polymorphisms were associated with LTBI.