Project description:Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease, but current methods of detection require improvement in sensitivity, efficiency or specificity. We conducted a microarray experiment, comparing the gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells among individuals with active TB, latent infection, and healthy conditions in a Taiwanese population. These differentially expressed genes may be potential biomarkers that can differentiate between active TB and latent infection. We isolated total RNA from the PBMC from 7 active TB, 7 latent infection, and 7 healthy individuals and profiled their transcriptional profiles to identify signficantly differentially expressed geens that differ among these three groups
Project description:Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease, but current methods of detection require improvement in sensitivity, efficiency or specificity. We conducted a microarray experiment, comparing the gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells among individuals with active TB, latent infection, and healthy conditions in a Taiwanese population. These differentially expressed genes may be potential biomarkers that can differentiate between active TB and latent infection.
Project description:C1q expression increases significantly in the peripheral blood of patients with active tuberculosis compared to healthy controls and individuals with latent TB infection. The percentage of C1q-expressing CD14 positive cells is significantly increased in active TB patients. C1q expression in the peripheral blood correlates with sputum smear positivity in tuberculosis patients and is reduced after anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. Notably, receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that C1qC mRNA levels in peripheral blood efficiently discriminate active from latent tuberculosis infection and healthy controls. Additionally, C1qC protein level in pleural effusion shows improved power in discriminating tuberculosis from non-tuberculosis pleurisy when compared to other inflammatory markers, such as IL-6 and TNF-α C1q expression correlates with active disease in human tuberculosis. C1q could be a potential diagnostic marker to discriminate active tuberculosis from latent tuberculosis infection as well as tuberculosis pleurisy from non-tuberculosis pleurisy.
Project description:We have sequenced miRNA libraries from human embryonic, neural and foetal mesenchymal stem cells. We report that the majority of miRNA genes encode mature isomers that vary in size by one or more bases at the 3’ and/or 5’ end of the miRNA. Northern blotting for individual miRNAs showed that the proportions of isomiRs expressed by a single miRNA gene often differ between cell and tissue types. IsomiRs were readily co-immunoprecipitated with Argonaute proteins in vivo and were active in luciferase assays, indicating that they are functional. Bioinformatics analysis predicts substantial differences in targeting between miRNAs with minor 5’ differences and in support of this we report that a 5’ isomiR-9-1 gained the ability to inhibit the expression of DNMT3B and NCAM2 but lost the ability to inhibit CDH1 in vitro. This result was confirmed by the use of isomiR-specific sponges. Our analysis of the miRGator database indicates that a small percentage of human miRNA genes express isomiRs as the dominant transcript in certain cell types and analysis of miRBase shows that 5’ isomiRs have replaced canonical miRNAs many times during evolution. This strongly indicates that isomiRs are of functional importance and have contributed to the evolution of miRNA genes
Project description:C1q expression increases significantly in the peripheral blood of patients with active tuberculosis compared to healthy controls and individuals with latent TB infection. The percentage of C1q-expressing CD14 positive cells is significantly increased in active TB patients. C1q expression in the peripheral blood correlates with sputum smear positivity in tuberculosis patients and is reduced after anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. Notably, receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that C1qC mRNA levels in peripheral blood efficiently discriminate active from latent tuberculosis infection and healthy controls. Additionally, C1qC protein level in pleural effusion shows improved power in discriminating tuberculosis from non-tuberculosis pleurisy when compared to other inflammatory markers, such as IL-6 and TNF-α C1q expression correlates with active disease in human tuberculosis. C1q could be a potential diagnostic marker to discriminate active tuberculosis from latent tuberculosis infection as well as tuberculosis pleurisy from non-tuberculosis pleurisy. Complement gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of tuberculosis patients and controls were determined using whole genome transcriptional microarray assays. The mRNA and protein levels of three C1q components, C1qA, C1qB, and C1qC, were further validated by qRT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The percentages of C1q expression in CD14 positive cells were determined by flow cytometry. Finally, C1qC protein level was quantified in the pleural fluid of tuberculosis and non-tuberculosis pleurisy.
Project description:Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for the majority of mortality and morbidity associated with infectious diseases worldwide. The characterization of exact molecular components of immune response associated with protection against TB may help design more effective therapeutic interventions. In this study, we aimed to characterize the immune signature of memory T cells associated with active versus latent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Transcriptomic profiling using RNA sequencing was performed on memory CD4 T cells isolated from individuals with active TB (at diagnosis and 2 months post treatment), latent TB, as well as from TB negative healthy controls. Overall, we found specific gene signatures for each cohort that could successfully discriminate between individuals with active TB at diagnosis, treated active TB, latent TB and healthy controls.
Project description:Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for the majority of mortality and morbidity associated with infectious diseases worldwide. The characterization of exact molecular components of immune response associated with protection against TB may help design more effective therapeutic interventions. In this study, we aimed to characterize the immune signature of monocyte subsets associated with active versus latent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Transcriptomic profiling using RNA sequencing was performed on classical (CD14+CD16-), intermediate (CD14+CD16+) and non-classical (CD14-CD16+) monocytes isolated from individuals with active TB (at diagnosis and 2 months post treatment), latent TB, as well as from TB negative healthy controls. Overall, we found specific gene signatures for each monocyte subset that could successfully discriminate between individuals with active TB at diagnosis, treated active TB, latent TB and healthy controls.
Project description:Changes in the blood transcriptome upon treatment were studied in a cohort of 42 latent tuberculosis (TB) subjects and 8 active TB subiects. Samples were collected at diagnosis (prior the start of treatment) and post treatment and gene expression studied with Illumina microarrays. We hypothesize that individuals with latent TB at risk of developing active disease are immunologically closer to those with active TB and will thus display a blood transcriptomic signature similar to active TB subjects upon treatment. This signature should significantly differ from the one mounted by latent TB individuals at low risk of progression. Thus, monitoring blood transcriptomic changes following anti-TB therapy might inform on which latent TB subjects should be prioritized for receiving therapeutic intervention in order to prevent further transmission.