Furthermore, the studies with DNA vaccine constructs may be extended with single antigens or in combination to determine their

protective efficacy in appropriate animal models of TB (mice, guinea pigs, rabbits and monkeys etc.) after challenging the immunized animals with live M. tuberculosis. This work was Ensartinib supported by Research Administration projects Grants YM 01/03, Kuwait University. “
“In this study, we investigated the role and expression of T helper type 17 (Th17) cells and Th17 cytokines in human tuberculosis. We show that the basal proportion of interferon (IFN)-γ-, interleukin (IL)-17- and IL-22-expressing CD4+ T cells and IL-22-expressing granulocytes in peripheral blood were significantly lower in latently infected healthy individuals and active tuberculosis patients compared to healthy controls. In contrast, CD4+ T cells expressing IL-17, IL-22 and IFN-γ were increased significantly following mycobacterial antigens stimulation in both latent and actively PXD101 cost infected

patients. Interestingly, proinflammatory IFN-γ and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α were increased following antigen stimulation in latent infection. Similarly, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-8, IL-22 and TNF-α were increased in the serum of latently infected individuals, whereas IL-6 and TNF-α were increased significantly in actively infected patients. Overall, we observed differential induction of IL-17-, IL-22- and IFN-γ-expressing CD4+ T cells, IL-22-expressing granulocytes and proinflammatory cytokines in circulation second and following antigenic stimulation in latent and active tuberculosis. Human tuberculosis (TB) is primarily a disease of the lungs caused by an obligatory intracellular pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The majority of infected individuals do not develop clinical disease yet bacteria can persist, resulting in a state of latent infection [1]. Latency requires

a balanced interaction between host immunity and bacterial pathogenicity. It is well established in both animals and humans that the T helper (Th) cell type 1 cytokines interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon (IFN)-γ play a crucial role in controlling mycobacterial infection [2,3]. Th17 cells, a newly identified subset of Th cells, have been shown to play an important role in tuberculosis [4,5]. IL-17 is primarily a proinflammatory cytokine secreted by Th17 cells. It acts on a variety of cell types, including epithelial cells and fibroblasts, resulting in the secretion of cytokines [IL-6, IL-8, granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)], chemokines (CXCL1, CXCL10) and metalloproteinases, which in turn attract neutrophils at the site of infection [4,6,7].