Evaluation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis specific antigen-stimulated CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+ T cells for discrimination of active tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND

Active tuberculosis (ATB) originates from primary Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection or reactivation of latent tuberculosis. Besides bacteriological examination, MTB-reactive immunocytes detection can be an alternative testing for discrimination of active tuberculosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the accuracy of peripheral blood CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+T cells in ATB diagnosis.

METHODS

This prospective diagnostic accuracy study was conducted at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Patients with ATB, non-tuberculosis mycobacterium infection (NTM), latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), other respiratory diseases (OD), and healthy individuals (HC) were enrolled. The accuracy of CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ and other phenotypic markers for ATB diagnosis was assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 376 patients (237 ATB, 38 LTBI, 8 NTM, 50 OD, and 43 HC) were enrolled. The ratios of CD4+IFN-γ+CD27- and CD4+IFN-γ+CD27-CD38+ profiles in CD4+IFN-γ+ cells and the ratios of CD4+IFN-γ+CD38+, CD4+IFN-γ+CD27-, and CD4+IFN-γ+CD38+CD27- profiles in CD4+ cells in the ATB group were significantly higher than in the other groups. The area under the curve (AUC) of CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ for the diagnosis of ATB was the highest, with a value of 0.890. With the optimal cutoff value of 1.34 × 10-4, the sensitivity and specificity of CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ for ATB diagnosis was 0.869 and 0.849, respectively.

CONCLUSION

CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ might be a potential biomarker for active tuberculosis diagnosis.