title: Circulating B-lymphocytes as potential biomarkers of tuberculosis infection activity.
abstract: Accurate biomarkers of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection activity would significantly improve early diagnosis, treatment and management of M. tuberculosis infection. We hypothesised that circulating B-lymphocytes may be useful biomarkers of tuberculosis (TB) infection status in highly TB-endemic settings. Ex-vivo and in-vitro mycobacteria-specific B-cell ELISPOT assays were used to examine the plasmablast (PB) and memory B-cell (MBC) responses in the peripheral blood of adult, healthy, community controls (n = 151) and of active TB patients (n = 48) living in Uganda. Frequencies of mycobacteria-specific PBs were markedly higher in active TB patients compared to healthy controls, and, conversely, MBCs were markedly higher in the healthy controls compared to active TB patients. In addition, the community controls with evidence of latent TB infection had higher peripheral blood PB and MBC responses than those without evidence of TB infection. These data demonstrate that peripheral blood B-cell responses are differentially modulated during latent and active M. tuberculosis infection, and suggest that the PB to MBC ratio may be a useful biomarker of TB infection activity.
authors.affiliation: Co-infection Studies Programme, Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sebina
authors.affiliation: Co-infection Studies Programme, Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University Kampala, Uganda, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Irene A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Biraro
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Hazel M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Dockrell
authors.affiliation: Co-infection Studies Programme, Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University Kampala, Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Co-infection Studies Programme, Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda; Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cose
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D014454:Uganda; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers