More severe lung lesions in smoker patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis were associated with peripheral NK cell subsets.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Both pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and cigarette smoke (CS) exposure may lead to lung damage. The potential impact of CS exposure on tuberculosis-associated lung damage and the disturbance of immune cells and mediators involved, need to be further elucidated.

METHODS:

We firstly evaluated the chest X-ray (CXR) scores of a retrospective cohort of male patients with active PTB, followed for 6 months, and compared the scores between smoker (≥10 pack-years) and non-smoker patients. In a cross-sectional study, we measured the peripheral blood NK cell subsets and plasma inflammatory cytokines in male smoker and non-smoker patients with active PTB before anti-tuberculosis therapy, and the proportions of NK cell subsets and the levels of cytokines were analyzed for correlation with the CXR scores.

RESULTS:

In the retrospective cohort, male smoker patients with active PTB showed a higher CXR score, characterized by more cavitary lesions, enlarged lymph nodes and emphysema, as compared to non-smokers. The cross-sectional study revealed that the CXR score in smoker patients was correlated inversely with the percentages of blood CD107a+, NKP46+, and TIGIT+ NK cells.

CONCLUSION:

In patients with active PTB, CS exposure was associated with more severe lung lesions, which were correlated with peripheral NK cell subsets.

• Authors: Yafei Rao, Wenli Cao, Jingge Qu, Xueyang Zhang, Jun Wang, Jundong Wang, Gen Li, Danyang Li, Yuqiang Pei, Wei Xu, Xiaoyan Gai, Yongchang Sun
• Journal: Tuberculosis (Edinburgh, Scotland) (Tuberculosis (Edinb)) Vol. 138 Pg. 102293 (01 2023) ISSN: 1873-281X [Electronic] Scotland
• PMID: 36549189 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Cytokines

Topics

• Humans
• Male
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Cytokines
• Killer Cells, Natural
• Lung (diagnostic imaging)
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• Retrospective Studies
• Tuberculosis, Pulmonary (complications, diagnosis)
• Smokers