CD27 expression of T-cells discriminates IGRA-negative TB patients from healthy contacts in Ghana

Microbes Infect. 2020 Jan-Feb;22(1):65-68. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2019.07.003. Epub 2019 Aug 12.

Abstract

IFN-γ release assays (IGRAs) have suboptimal sensitivity for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection and cannot discriminate between tuberculosis (TB) patients and healthy -potentially Mtb infected- contacts (HCs). In a case-control study, we determined T-cell phenotypes of IGRAs in TB patients (n = 20) and HCs (n = 20) from Ghana. CD27 expression of T-cells was significantly lower in TB patients as compared to HCs independent from Mtb-specificity. CD27 expression discriminated both study groups - including TB patients with low or indeterminate IGRA results - effectively. We conclude that CD27 is a promising biomarker for diagnosis of TB patients with inconclusive IGRA results.

Keywords: CD27; Healthy contacts; IFN-γ release assay; T-cells; Tuberculosis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Ghana / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes / microbiology
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / metabolism*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7
  • Interferon-gamma