[Down-regulated expression of Blimp-1 mRNA in monocytes from patients with active tuberculosis].

Objective: To detect the expression of B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 (Blimp-1) mRNA in monocytes of patients with active tuberculosis and analyze the differences of the expression among the patients, latent tuberculosis infection subjects and healthy controls (HCs).

Methods: Anticoagulated peripheral blood was collected from patients with active tuberculosis, latent tuberculosis infection subjects and HCs. Monocytes were isolated and purified from the peripheral blood. Fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA level of Blimp-1 in monocytes. After the monocytes from HCs were stimulated with whole cell lysate of H37Rv MTB and peptide pool of ESAT-6/CFP-10, respectively, the level of Blimp-1 mRNA was again detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR.

Results: The level of Blimp-1 mRNA in the monocytes from patients with active tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infection subjects were significantly lower than that from HCs. Compared with the unstimulated monocytes, the level of Blimp-1 mRNA in the monocytes stimulated with whole cell lysate of H37Rv MTB significantly decreased, while the expression of Blimp-1 mRNA in the monocytes stimulated with ESAT-6/CFP-10 was not significantly changed.

Conclusion: The level of Blimp-1 mRNA in the monocytes from patients with active tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infection subjects was down-regulated, and the expression of Blimp-1 mRNA in the monocytes from HCs was also suppressed after stimulated with whole cell lysate of MTB.