title: High Beclin-1 Expression in Human Alveolar Macrophage Significantly Correlate with the Bacteriologic Sterilization in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a major health problem, and there are few biomarkers for predicting TB progression and anti-TB outcome. Recently, studies suggested that autophagy may link the multistep process of intracellular MTB clearance. So we hypothesized that autophagy level might indicate anti-TB prognostic significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients and 15 healthy controls were included in the study. Laboratory examinations were determined in all subjects. Beclin-1 level, which was highly related with autophagy process, was determined using RT-PCR and western blotting assay in human alveolar macrophages. We divided the patients into Beclin-1 high group and Beclin-1 low group and treated them with the same anti-TB regimens. The predictive ability of Beclin-1 on the treatment outcome was further studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, we found Beclin-1 was markedly increased in alveolar macrophages in PTB patients. Sterilization of the sputum culture was achieved faster in the Beclin-1 high group, as demonstrated either by the percentage of negative smear findings or by the colony-forming unit (CFU) assay. Furthermore, Beclin-1 high group demonstrated faster relief of respiratory symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggested the expression of Beclin-1 could be a novel biomarker for predicting anti-TB outcomes.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Di
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D000071186:Beclin-1; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C491997:BECN1 protein, human; D000071186:Beclin-1; D015415:Biomarkers; D008565:Membrane Proteins