Influence of NOD-like receptor 2 gene polymorphisms on muramyl dipeptide induced pro-inflammatory response in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and household contacts.

Purpose: The immune response induced by nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-2(NOD2) is associated with the production of cytokines affected by the host's genetic background. The present study aimed to examine the effects of NOD2; 802C > T, 2105G > A polymorphisms associated with altered cytokine levels in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis disease, Latent TB subjects (household contacts(HHC) and healthy controls(HC).

Methods: Genetic polymorphisms were analyzed by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism(RFLP) in 102-PTB patients, 102-HHC, and 132-HC.

A SNP upstream of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) gene protects from relapse and extra-pulmonary TB and relates to BCG vaccination status in an Indian cohort.

Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) is a major health care threat worldwide causing over a million deaths annually. Host-pathogen interaction is complex, and a strong genetic contribution to disease susceptibility has been proposed.

IL-6 and IL-18 cytokine gene variants of pulmonary tuberculosis patients with co-morbid diabetes mellitus and their household contacts in Hyderabad.

Purpose: Association of cytokine genes reflects their susceptibility towards infection and disease in household contacts (HHC) of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients. Hyperglycemia, a common factor in diabetics might influence their risk towards mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and disease development. This study determines the association of IL-6 and IL-18 cytokine gene variants of TB patients with diabetes mellitus (TBDM) and their HHC in Hyderabad.

Polymorphisms of IFN-γ (+874A/T) and IL-12 (+1188A/C) in tuberculosis patients and their household contacts in Hyderabad, India.

Several cytokine gene variants have shown to be associated with host susceptibility to infectious diseases including tuberculosis (TB). High rates of transmission were identified within household members of TB patients. In this study, we examined whether single nucleotide polymorphisms of IFN-γ +874A/T and IL-12 +1188A/C affect susceptibility to TB.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Zinc Metalloprotease-1 Elicits Tuberculosis-Specific Humoral Immune Response Independent of Mycobacterial Load in Pulmonary and Extra-Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients.

Conventionally, facultative intracellular pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the tuberculosis (TB) causing bacilli in human is cleared by cell-mediated immunity (CMI) with CD4(+) T cells playing instrumental role in protective immunity, while antibody-mediated immunity (AMI) is considered non-protective. This longstanding convention has been challenged with recent evidences of increased susceptibility of hosts with compromised AMI and monoclonal antibodies conferring passive protection against TB and other intracellular pathogens. Therefore, novel approaches toward vaccine development include strategies aiming at induction of humoral response along with CMI.

Effect of IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-10 cytokine production and mRNA expression in tuberculosis patients with diabetes mellitus and their household contacts.

Objective: The study was carried out to understand the influence of IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-10 cytokine production and expression in tuberculosis patients with diabetes mellitus (TBDM) and their household contacts (HHC).

Methodology: The study involved a total of 300 subjects, 50 in each category of TBDM, TBDM HHC, pulmonary tuberculosis patients (PTB), PTB HHC, DM and healthy controls (HC). TBDM, PTB and their HHC, 25 each were followed at different intervals to determine their immune responses in Ag85A stimulated culture supernatants by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

Cytokine production and mRNA expression in pulmonary tuberculosis patients and their household contacts of younger age group (15-25years).

Household contacts of tuberculosis patients are at high risk of infection and development of active disease. In this study we evaluated the cytokine production and mRNA expression of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10&IL-6 stimulated with r32kDa M. bovis BCGAg in active pulmonary tuberculosis patients (APTB), household contacts (HHC) and healthy controls (HC).

Evaluation of TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-6 Cytokine Production and Their Correlation with Genotype Variants amongst Tuberculosis Patients and Their Household Contacts.

Background: Household contacts of diagnostically established tuberculosis (TB) patients are highly susceptible to disease development. It is surmised that cytokines perhaps play a synergistic and a prognostic role in the activation of the otherwise latent infection in these house hold contacts. Evaluation of the cytokines and any of their inherent polymorphisms might provide a useful diagnostic tool in evaluating the immune regulation and the progression of the disease.

Role of IFN-γ and IL-6 cytokines and their association in determining susceptibility to chronic idiopathic urticaria.

Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria (CIU) is a common skin disorder, which may occur spontaneously. The aim of the present study was to assess the serum levels of interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-6 and to examine the association of IFN-γ+874 T/A and IL-6-174 G/C cytokine gene polymorphisms. To accomplish this, ELISA-based cytokine serum levels of IFN-γ (n=30) and IL-6 (n=30) in CIU patients (n=100) and Healthy Controls (HC) (n=200) were performed.

Mycobacterial and HIV infections up-regulated human zinc finger protein 134, a novel positive regulator of HIV-1 LTR activity and viral propagation.

Background: Concurrent occurrence of HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) infections influence the cellular environment of the host for synergistic existence. An elementary approach to understand such coalition at the molecular level is to understand the interactions of the host and the viral factors that subsequently effect viral replication. Long terminal repeats (LTR) of HIV genome serve as a template for binding trans-acting viral and cellular factors that regulate its transcriptional activity, thereby, deciding the fate of HIV pathogenesis, making it an ideal system to explore the interplay between HIV and the host.