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. 2022 Dec 30;13(1):80.
doi: 10.3390/biom13010080.

Plasma Levels of sFas-sFasL and FASL Gene Expression Are Associated with Tuberculosis

Iury de Paula Souza  1   2 , Ednelza da Silva Graça Amoras  1 , Francisca Dayse Martins de Sousa  1   2 , Paulo Victor Negrão Raiol de Sousa  1 , Sandra Souza Lima  1 , Izaura Maria Vieira Cayres-Vallinoto  1 , Ricardo Ishak  1 , Antonio Carlos Rosário Vallinoto  1 , Maria Alice Freitas Queiroz  1
Affiliations

Plasma Levels of sFas-sFasL and FASL Gene Expression Are Associated with Tuberculosis

Iury de Paula Souza et al. Biomolecules. .

Abstract

Apoptosis of macrophages infected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis via Fas-FasL is an important immune mechanism against infection. This study investigated the association of tuberculosis (TB) with the presence of the polymorphisms FAS -670A/G and FASL -124A/G, the levels of sFas and sFasL, and the gene expression of FASL and cytokines. Samples of 200 individuals diagnosed with TB and 200 healthy controls were evaluated. Real-time PCR (genotyping and gene expression) and ELISA (dosages of sFas, sFasL, IFN-γ, and IL-10) tests were performed. There was no association of FAS -670A/G and FASL -124A/G polymorphisms with TB. The TB group exhibited high plasma levels of sFas and reduced plasma levels of sFasL (p < 0.05). The correlation analysis between these markers revealed a positive correlation between the levels of sFas and sFasL, sFasL and FASL expression, and between sFas and FASL expression (p < 0.05). In the TB group, there was a positive correlation between FASL expression and IFN-γ levels and higher levels of IL-10 compared to IFN-γ (p < 0.05). High levels of sFas and reduced levels of sFasL and FASL expression may contribute to the inhibition of apoptosis in infected cells and represent a possible bacterial resistance resource to maintain the infection.

Keywords: FasL; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; apoptosis; sFas; sFasL; tuberculosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Evaluation of sFas plasma levels between the (A) TB and control (GC) groups and the different genotypes for the FAS -670A/G polymorphism in the (B) TB and (C) control groups. Evaluation of sFasL plasma levels between (D) TB and control groups and the different genotypes for FASL -124A/G polymorphism in (E) TB and (F) control groups. Evaluation of FASL gene expression levels between (G) TB and GC groups and the different genotypes for FASL -124A/G polymorphism in (H) TB and (I) control groups. * Mann–Whitney test; ** Kruskal–Wallis test.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Correlation between (A) sFas and sFasL levels, (B) sFasL and FASL gene expression, and (C) sFas and FASL gene expression in the TB and control groups. Results determined via Spearman correlation.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Assessment of (A) IFN-γ and (B) IL-10 levels between the TB and control (CG) groups. Comparison of IFN-γ and IL-10 levels in the (C) TB and (D) control groups. Results determined via Mann–Whitney test.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Correlogram of FASL expression levels with IFN-γ and IL-10 cytokines in the TB and control groups. Results determined via Spearman Correlation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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