Distinct epigenetic regulation in patients with multidrug-resistant TB-HIV co-infection and uninfected individuals

Abstract

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is an airborne pathogenic microorganism that causes tuberculosis (TB). This pathogen invades lung tissues causing pulmonary infections and disseminates into other host organs. The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is employed to provide immune protection against TB; however, its efficacy is dependent on the age, immune status and geographic location of vaccinated individuals. Advanced diagnostic approaches such as GeneXpert MTB/RIF® and line probe assays (LPAs) have allowed rapid detection of drug-resistant, multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Mtb strains. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, public and private health institutions are further burdened by the high prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and TB co-infections across different age groups. Epigenetic mechanisms have been widely exploited by Mtb and HIV to bypass the host’s innate and adaptive immune responses, leading to microbial proliferation and disease manifestation. In the current study, we investigated the impact of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating target gene expression in healthy and patients co-infected with MDR TB-HIV.