Decreased IL-1 β Secretion as a Potential Predictor of Tuberculosis Recurrence in Individuals Diagnosed with HIV

Background: The mechanisms of the formation of immunological competence against tuberculosis (TB), and especially those associated with HIV co-infection, remain poorly understood.

However, there is an urgent need for risk recurrence predictive biomarkers, as well as for predictors of successful treatment outcomes.

The goal of the study was to identify possible immunological markers of TB recurrence in individuals with HIV/TB co-infection.

Methods: The plasma levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, and IL-1β (cytokines which play important roles in the immune activation and protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis) were measured using ELISA EIA-BEST kits.

The cytokine concentrations were determined using a standard curve obtained with the standards provided by the manufacturer of each kit.

Results: A total of 211 individuals were enrolled in the study as follows: 62 patients with HIV/TB co-infection, 52 with HIV monoinfection, 52 with TB monoinfection, and 45 healthy donors.

Out of the 62 patients with HIV/TB, 75.8% (47) of patients were newly diagnosed with HIV and TB, and 24.2% (15) displayed recurrent TB and were newly diagnosed with HIV.

Decreased levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-10 were observed in patients with HIV/TB when compared with HIV and TB patients.

However, there was no difference in IFN-γ, TNF-α, or IL-10 secretion between both HIV/TB groups.

At the same time, an almost 4-fold decrease in Il-1β levels was detected in the HIV/TB group with TB recurrence when compared with the HIV/TB group (p = 0.0001); a 2.8-fold decrease when compared with HIV patients (p = 0.001); and a 2.2-fold decrease with newly diagnosed TB patients (p = 0.001).

Conclusions: Significantly decreased Il-1β levels in HIV/TB patients’ cohort with secondary TB indicate that this cytokine can be a potential biomarker of TB recurrence.