Table 1 Summary of key gene expression findings

From: Distinct gene expression signatures comparing latent tuberculosis infection with different routes of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination

 

LTBI

ID BCG

PO BCG

Blood, CD4+

Findings

Key Genes.

Findings

Key Genes.

Findings

Key Genes

Baseline

T cell markers elevated

MKI67

IL9

CXCL5

CXCL8

No significant immunologic findings

N/A

No significant immunologic findings

N/A

BCG induced (ΔΔ)

T cells; Cytokines

IFNG

FASLG

IL23R

TNFRSF8 (CD30)

Th9, T cells

IL9

TNIP3

IL23R

TNFRSF8 (CD30)

No significant immunologic findings

N/A

 

LTBI

ID BCG

PO ± ID BCG

BAL, unsorted

Findings

Key Genes

Findings

Key Genes

Findings

Key Genes

Baseline

T cells;

NK cells;

Elevated inflammasome markers

GZMB

STAT4

DPP4 (CD26)

NLRP3

No significant immunologic findings

N/A

Correlation with inflammasome induction by Mtb

MR1

GABARAPL2

SNX27

KIF16B

SCL9A6

SNX14

RAB7B

Mtb-induced (ΔΔ)

T cells;

Chemokines;

Cytokines

IL2

CXCR2

DPP4 (CD26)

Modest inflammasome induction

CD44

DPP4 (CD26)

T cells;

Inflammasome;

Chemokines;

IL15

IL6

NLRP3

CXCL8

DPP4 (CD26)

  1. As illustrated, significant observations were made from baseline studies of both peripheral blood CD4+ T cells from LTBI individuals (increased expression of T-cell markers) as well as unsorted BAL cells from this study group (increased expression of T cell markers, NK cells, and inflammasome markers). Following in vitro BCG infection of cultured peripheral blood cells, upregulation of T cell responses was observed in LTBI individuals and recipients of ID BCG. Whereas LTBI individuals also showed a trend for increased IL9, significant upregulation of Th9 responses was observed in ID BCG recipients only. In vitro infection of unsorted BAL cells with Mtb resulted in increased expression of the themes of T cells, cytokines, and chemokines in LTBI individuals, and enrichment for T cell, inflammasome, and chemokine themes in recipients of PO BCG.