Author: Tang Yichen Date: 2018-08-23 According to a paper published online by Nature on August 23, higher levels of natural killer cells are associated with latent tuberculosis. This finding raises the question of whether natural killer cells may play an important role in tuberculosis infection. Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease that is also the leading cause of related deaths. Most tuberculosis infections are latent, that is, without external symptoms, and in a state that does not spread. It is estimated that a quarter of the world's population is infected with latent tuberculosis, but less than 10% of latent tuberculosis cases eventually progress to active tuberculosis infection. Despite this, little is known about the immune factors that affect the outcome of an individual's infection. In order to understand the latent immune status and whether the state will change after the disease progresses, Yueh-hsiu Chien of Stanford University, Purvesh Khatri of Stanford University School of Medicine and colleagues conducted a number of cohort studies, with a large number of cell counting methods. The gene expression data sets were combined to identify differences in immune cell populations between uninfected subjects and latent or active tuberculosis subjects. They found that latent tuberculosis was associated with more natural killer cells (white blood cells that kill specific pathogens), and latent tuberculosis subjects had stronger antitoxin responses than uninfected subjects. In active tuberculosis subjects, the number of natural killer cells is small, but after the infection is cured, the number will return to the baseline level. Despite this, the above findings cannot prove a causal relationship between natural killer cells and latent tuberculosis. In addition, the researchers showed that measuring natural killer cell levels can be used to determine the level of activity and burden of infection in patients with tuberculosis infection, and this finding may help to assess disease progression and optimize treatment options. (Tang Yichen) Related paper information: DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0439-x Chinese Journal of Science and Technology (2018-08-23 2nd Edition International) Source: Chinese Journal of Science Calcium Hydroxide,Slaked Lime,Hydrated Lime,Food Grade Calcium Hydroxide Wuxi Yangshan Biochemical Co.,Ltd. , https://www.salesacetates.com
Natural killer cells are associated with latent tuberculosis