Monocytic-Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells Suppress T-Cell Responses in Recovered SARS CoV2-Infected Individuals.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS Coronavirus 2 (CoV2) is associated with massive immune activation and hyperinflammatory response. Acute and severe CoV2 infection is characterized by the expansion of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) because of cytokine storm, these MDSC suppress T cell functions. However, the presence of MDSC and its effect on CoV2 antigen specific T cell responses in individuals long after first detection of CoV2 and recovery from infection has not been studied.

Global DNA hypomethylation and the expression profile of DNA methyltransferase genes in late-onset neonatal sepsis.

Infectious organisms tend to cause DNA methylation changes. Thus, this paper aims to study global DNA methylation and the expression of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) genes in late-onset neonatal sepsis (LONS). Global and Alu DNA methylation and expression levels of DNMT were performed using 5mc ELISA, methylation-specific PCR and quantitative real-time-PCR, respectively for LONS and controls.

MicroRNA Expression in Neonates with Late-onset Sepsis - A Cross-sectional Comparative Study.

Background: Neonatal sepsis is a major health concern among neonates with higher morbidity and mortality rate. Studies have recently speculated the importance of differential expression of circulating mature micro-RNAs (miRNAs) which could serve as diagnostic as well as prognostic markers for risk of mortality in neonatal sepsis. This study aimed to analyze the expression pattern and to assess the diagnostic/prognostic value of miRNAs , and in late-onset neonatal sepsis.

Methylation Status of VDR Gene and its Association with Vitamin D Status and VDR Gene Expression in Pediatric Tuberculosis Disease.

Deficiency in circulatory vitamin D level and vitamin D receptor DNA methylation could be associated with weakened innate immune response and increased susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB) disease in children. Therefore, we aimed to study the effect of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene methylation on plasma vitamin D level and the expression of the VDR gene in children with active-TB disease. A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in 43 children with active-TB and 33 healthy control children (HC).

Assessment of global DNA methylation in children with tuberculosis disease.

Background: Studying DNA methylation changes in disease condition provides the basis of disease pathogenesis or host immune response to infection. Evidences suggest that pathogen-mediated DNA methylation changes influences the expression pattern of genes contributing to disease condition to avert host immune response. Hence, we attempted to study the association between tubercle bacilli-mediated global DNA methylation changes in children with tuberculosis (TB) disease and healthy controls.

Methylation status of alu repetitive elements in children with tuberculosis disease.

Background: Investigation of DNA methylation in Alu repetitive elements (REs) was shown to be a promising field to explore transcriptional changes in human genome under disease condition. To scrutinize the association between Alu methylation and tuberculosis (TB) disease in children, the difference in Alu DNA methylation level was compared with healthy controls.

Methods: Whole-blood genomic DNA from 36 TB-infected children and 32 healthy controls was isolated, and the level of Alu repeat DNA methylation was examined by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction.

The role of epigenetics in tuberculosis infection.

Epigenetic mechanisms are pivotal in regulating gene expression during cellular response to extracellular stimuli. Bacterial infections have a profound effect on the host epigenome, which triggers susceptibility to diseases. Recent studies suggest that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) can alter the host epigenome to modulate the transcriptional machinery and plays a major role in immunomodulation of the host immune response.

Molecular typing and differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates using Double Repetitive Element PCR and Duplex PCR.

Background: To date, the advancements in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assures accurate, fast identification and mycobacterial speciation in clinical settings, which promotes a better tuberculosis (TB) treatment regimen.

Methods: In this study, a total of 78 clinically suspected cases of TB were processed for the detection of Mycobacterial infections by standard Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) staining, conventional Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) and BACTEC MGIT-960™ liquid culture. Strain typing was performed by using Double Repetitive Element PCR (DRE-PCR) and Duplex PCR (DPCR) to differentiate Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) from non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), respectively.

Molecular analysis of rpoB gene mutations in rifampicin resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates by multiple allele specific polymerase chain reaction in Puducherry, South India.

Background: rpoB gene mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) make the bacteria resistant to rifampicin. Thus, these mutations are surrogate markers for multi-drug resistance (MDR). The objective of this study was to evaluate an allele-specific multiplex-polymerase chain reaction (MAS-PCR) assay to detect mutations at codons 516, 526 and 531 of the rpoB gene.

Clinical evaluation of mtp40 polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of extra pulmonary tuberculosis.

Rapid and sensitive detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from patient samples is vital for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The emergence of M. tuberculosis strains with either no copies or only a single copy of IS6110 in Asian countries makes the standard PCR based diagnosis of M.