Evaluation of the transcriptional immune biomarkers in peripheral blood from Warao indigenous associate with the infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Introduction: Biomarkers are critical tools for finding new approaches for controlling the spread of tuberculosis (TB), including for predicting the development of TB therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostic tools.

Methods: Expression of immune biomarkers was analyzed in peripheral blood cells stimulated and non-stimulated with M. tuberculosis antigens ESAT-6, CFP10 and TB7.

Concordance between IFNγ gene +874 A/T polymorphism and interferon-γ expression in a TB-endemic indigenous setting.

Introduction:: Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) plays a crucial role in resistance to mycobacterial diseases; accordingly, variants of the gene encoding this cytokine may be associated with elevated risk of contracting pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).

Methods:: Blood samples were collected from 135 Warao indigenous individuals with newly diagnosed sputum culture-positive TB. Of these, 24 were diagnosed with active tuberculosis (ATB).

Type I Interferon Gene Response Is Increased in Early and Established Rheumatoid Arthritis and Correlates with Autoantibody Production.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory debilitating disease that affects the joints in the early and productive phases of an individual's life. Several cytokines have been linked to the disease pathogenesis and are known to contribute to the inflammatory state characteristic of RA. The participation of type I interferon (IFN) in the pathogenesis of the disease has been already described as well as the identity of the genes that are regulated by this molecule, which are collectively known as the type I IFN signature.

Transcriptional profiles discriminate patients with pulmonary tuberculosis from non-tuberculous individuals depending on the presence of non-insulin diabetes mellitus.

Our objective was to identify transcriptional biomarkers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) that discriminate individuals with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) from those with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and in individuals without NIDDM. Using gene expression microarrays we identified differentially expressed genes from lungs of mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) or a mutant (ΔsigH) representing a non-inflammatory model. Genes expressed in blood, with inflammatory related functions were evaluated in humans by RT-qPCR.

Associated Risk Factors for Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Subjects with Diabetes.

Background And Aims: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) confers a higher risk for active tuberculosis (TB). However, information on associated risk factors for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) inpatients with DM2 is limited. We conducted a cross-sectional study to elucidate the prevalence of LTBI and its associated factors on Mexican adults with DM2 receiving medical care at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS).

Correlations between major risk factors and closely related Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates grouped by three current genotyping procedures: a population-based study in northeast Mexico.

The characteristics of tuberculosis (TB) patients related to a chain of recent TB transmissions were investigated. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) isolates (120) were genotyped using the restriction fragment length polymorphism-IS6110 (R), spacer oligotyping (S) and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units-variable number of tandem repeats (M) methods. The MTB isolates were clustered and the clusters were grouped according to the similarities of their genotypes.

Description of the population structure and genetic diversity of tuberculosis in Estado de México, a low prevalence setting from Mexico.

In order to identify the genetic characteristics of the strains of mycobacteria circulating in the Estado de México, one of the states with the lowest prevalence of tuberculosis in Mexico, spoligotyping and 12-loci MIRU-VNTR typing were used to genotype tuberculosis clinical isolates. The average age of the 183 patients analyzed was 50 (± 17) years, drug resistance was noted in 57 (31%) and multidrug resistance in 22 (12%) individuals. The results from the isolates recovered showed that 80% were located in four major Euro-American lineages: Haarlem (17%), LAM (15%), T (20%) and X (29%).

Characterisation of pks15/1 in clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Mexico.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectocontagious respiratory disease caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. A 7 base pair (bp) deletion in the locus polyketide synthase (pks)15/1 is described as polymorphic among members of the M. tuberculosis complex, enabling the identification of Euro-American, Indo-Oceanic and Asian lineages.

Genetic diversity of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in San Luis Potosí, México.

Background: Although epidemiologic and socioeconomic criteria and biomedical risk factors indicate high-priority for tuberculosis (TB) control in Mexico, molecular epidemiology studies of the disease in the country are scarce.

Methods: Complete sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from 248 of the 432 pulmonary TB (PTB) cases confirmed from 2006 to 2010 on the population under epidemiological surveillance in the state of San Luis Potosí, México. From most PTB cases with complete data Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) isolates were recovered and their spoligotypes, lineages and families, geographic distribution and drug resistance determined.