An Updated Review on MSMD Research Globally and A Literature Review on the Molecular Findings, Clinical Manifestations, and Treatment Approaches in China

Successful treatment of invasive mycobacterium infection with interferon beta in a patient with Interferon-Gamma Receptor 1 deficiency

Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD) is caused by approximately 21 genetic defects, including a mutation in Interferon-Gamma Receptor 1 (IFNGR1). IFNGR1 deficiency leads to a loss of cellular responsiveness to type II Interferon (IFN-γ), which plays a significant role in controlling intracellular bacteria. This study explored the response of IFN-β therapy in a patient with partial IFNGR1 deficiency to treat invasive mycobacterial infection. The biological therapy was used successfully as an adjuvant to anti-mycobacterial medications to treat a 17-year-old girl with partial IFNGR1 deficiency who presented with a recurrent mycobacterial infection that extended to her central nervous system, which resulted in clinical and radiological improvement. This report suggests that activation of type I IFN through Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription1 (STAT1) could bypass the early IFN-γ signaling defects and activate IFN-γ production. For that reason, IFN-β might be used as a beneficial adjuvant therapy for managing extensive central nervous system mycobacterial infection, especially in patients with IFNGR1 deficiency.

Genetic, immunologic, and clinical features of 830 patients with Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial diseases (MSMD): A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial diseases (MSMD) is a rare clinical syndrome characterized by vulnerability to weakly virulent mycobacterial species, including Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccines and environmental mycobacteria.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to perform a systematic review of the genetic, immunologic, and clinical findings for reported patients with MSMD.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases for publications in English relating to MSMD. All full texts were evaluated for eligibility for inclusion. Two reviewers independently selected the publications, with a third reviewer consulted in cases of disagreement.

RESULTS

A primary systematic search and searches of other resources identified 16,155 articles. In total, 158 articles from 63 countries were included in qualitative and quantitative analyses. In total, 830 patients-436 males (52.5%), 369 females (44.5%), and 25 patients of unknown sex (3.0%)-from 581 families were evaluated. A positive family history was reported in 347 patients (45.5%). The patients had a mean age of 10.41 ± 0.42 (SEM) years. The frequency of MSMD was highest in Iran, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. Lymphadenopathy was the most common clinical manifestation of MSMD, reported in 378 (45.5%) cases and multifocal in 35.1%. Fever, organomegaly, and sepsis were the next most frequent findings, reported in 251 (30.2%), 206 (24.8%), and 171 (20.8%) cases, respectively. In total, 299 unique mutations in 21 genes known to be involved in MSMD were reported: 100 missense (34%), 80 indel-frameshift (insertion or deletion, 27%), 53 nonsense (18%), 35 splice site (12%), 10 indel-in frame (2.7%), 6 indel (2%), and 15 large deletion/duplication mutations. Finally, 61% of the reported patients with MSMD had mutations of IL12RB1 (41%) or IFNGR1 (20%). At the time of the report, 177 of the patients (21.3%) were dead and 597 (71.9%) were still alive.

CONCLUSIONS

MSMD is associated with a high mortality rate, mostly due to impaired control of infection. Preexposure strategies, such as changes in vaccination policy in endemic areas, the establishment of a worldwide registry of patients with MSMD, and precise follow-up over generations in affected families, appear to be vital to decrease MSMD-related mortality.

Consanguineous marriages increase the incidence of recurrent tuberculosis: Evidence from whole exome sequencing

BACKGROUND

In this study, we have identified multiple mutations in the IL-12R1 gene among Pakistani patients who have inherited them through consanguineous marriages. These patients have experienced severe Bacille-Calmette-Guérin (BCG) infection as well as recurrent tuberculosis. We will demonstrate the pivotal role of interleukin (IL)-12/interferon (IFN)-γ axis in the regulation of mycobacterial diseases.

METHODOLOGY

First, we checked the patients' medical records, and then afterward, we assessed interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production through ELISA. Following that, DNA was extracted to investigate IL-12/IFN- abnormalities. Whole exome sequencing was conducted through Sanger sequencing. Secretory cytokine levels were compared from healthy control of the same age groups and they were found to be considerably less in the disease cohort. To evaluate the probable functional impact of these alterations, an in silico study was performed.

RESULTS

The study found that the patients' PBMCs produced considerably less IFN-γ than expected. Analysis using flow cytometry showed that activated T cells lacked surface expression of IL-12Rβ1. Exon 7 of the IL-12Rβ1 gene, which encodes a portion of the cytokine binding region (CBR), and exon 10, which encodes the fibronectin-type III (FNIII) domain, were found to have the mutations c.641 A > G; p.Q214R and c.1094 T > C; p.M365T, respectively. In silico analysis showed that these mutations likely to have a deleterious effect on protein function.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate the significant contribution of the IL-12/IFN-γ is in combating infections due to mycobacterium. Among Pakistani patients born to consanguineous marriages, the identified mutations in the IL-12Rβ-1 gene provide insights into the genetic basis of severe BCG infections and recurrent tuberculosis. The study highlights the potential utility of newborn screening in regions with mandatory BCG vaccination, enabling early detection and intervention for primary immunodeficiencies associated with mycobacterial infections. Moreover, the study suggests at the potential role of other related genes such as IL-23Rβ1, TYK2, or JAK2 in IFN-γ production, warranting further investigation.

Diverse roles of lung macrophages in the immune response to influenza A virus

Influenza viruses are one of the major causes of human respiratory infections and the newly emerging and re-emerging strains of influenza virus are the cause of seasonal epidemics and occasional pandemics, resulting in a huge threat to global public health systems. As one of the early immune cells can rapidly recognize and respond to influenza viruses in the respiratory, lung macrophages play an important role in controlling the severity of influenza disease by limiting viral replication, modulating the local inflammatory response, and initiating subsequent adaptive immune responses. However, influenza virus reproduction in macrophages is both strain- and macrophage type-dependent, and ineffective replication of some viral strains in mouse macrophages has been observed. This review discusses the function of lung macrophages in influenza virus infection in order to better understand the pathogenesis of the influenza virus.

Challenges of Diagnosing Mendelian Susceptibility to Mycobacterial Diseases in South Africa

Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are genetic disorders with extensive clinical presentations. They can range from increased susceptibility to infections to significant immune dysregulation that results in immune impairment. While IEI cases are individually rare, they collectively represent a significant burden of disease, especially in developing countries such as South Africa, where infectious diseases like tuberculosis (TB) are endemic. This is particularly alarming considering that certain high penetrance mutations that cause IEI, such as Mendelian Susceptibility to Mycobacterial Disease (MSMD), put individuals at higher risk for developing TB and other mycobacterial diseases. MSMD patients in South Africa often present with different clinical phenotypes than those from the developed world, therefore complicating the identification of disease-associated variants in this setting with a high burden of infectious diseases. The lack of available data, limited resources, as well as variability in clinical phenotype are the reasons many MSMD cases remain undetected or misdiagnosed. This article highlights the challenges in diagnosing MSMD in South Africa and proposes the use of transcriptomic analysis as a means of potentially identifying dysregulated pathways in affected African populations.

Autosomal recessive IL12RB1 mutation: A case report of a Sudanese child and his father

Introduction

Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD) is a rare inherited condition characterized by selective susceptibility to weakly virulent mycobacteria, such as substrains of the bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine and different environmental mycobacteria.

Case presentation

A 7-year-old Sudanese boy was referred to the immunology clinic with a suspected diagnosis of MSMD. This followed multiple presentations with disseminated tuberculosis and typhoid fever. Genetic testing surprisingly revealed pathogenic homozygous variants in IL12RB1 Exon 9, c.913A>T (p. Lys305*) in both the patient and his father, with a completely healthy asymptomatic carrier mother who is not blood related to the patient’s father.

Conclusion

It is challenging to diagnose MSMD, especially in developing countries where health systems are poor and have limited resources. Family history and genetic tests may help in early MSMD treatment and avoiding disease complications.