Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2024
Original Citation
Kurtz S,
Baker R,
Boehm F,
Lehman C,
Mittereder L,
Khan H,
Rossi A,
Gatti D,
Beamer G,
Sassetti C,
Elkins K.
Multiple genetic loci influence vaccine-induced protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in genetically diverse mice. PLoS Pathog. 2024;20(3):e1012069.
Keywords
JMG, Humans, Animals, Mice, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, BCG Vaccine, Tuberculosis, Tuberculosis Vaccines, Vaccination, Genetic Loci, Cytokines, Antigens, Bacterial, Mycobacterium bovis
JAX Source
PLoS Pathog. 2024;20(3):e1012069.
ISSN
1553-7374
PMID
38452145
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1012069
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb.) infection leads to over 1.5 million deaths annually, despite widespread vaccination with BCG at birth. Causes for the ongoing tuberculosis endemic are complex and include the failure of BCG to protect many against progressive pulmonary disease. Host genetics is one of the known factors implicated in susceptibility to primary tuberculosis, but less is known about the role that host genetics plays in controlling host responses to vaccination against M.tb. Here, we addressed this gap by utilizing Diversity Outbred (DO) mice as a small animal model to query genetic drivers of vaccine-induced protection against M.tb. DO mice are a highly genetically and phenotypically diverse outbred population that is well suited for fine genetic mapping. Similar to outcomes in people, our previous studies demonstrated that DO mice have a wide range of disease outcomes following BCG vaccination and M.tb. challenge. In the current study, we used a large population of BCG-vaccinated/M.tb.-challenged mice to perform quantitative trait loci mapping of complex infection traits; these included lung and spleen M.tb. burdens, as well as lung cytokines measured at necropsy. We found sixteen chromosomal loci associated with complex infection traits and cytokine production. QTL associated with bacterial burdens included a region encoding major histocompatibility antigens that are known to affect susceptibility to tuberculosis, supporting validity of the approach. Most of the other QTL represent novel associations with immune responses to M.tb. and novel pathways of cytokine regulation. Most importantly, we discovered that protection induced by BCG is a multigenic trait, in which genetic loci harboring functionally-distinct candidate genes influence different aspects of immune responses that are crucial collectively for successful protection. These data provide exciting new avenues to explore and exploit in developing new vaccines against M.tb.
Comments
This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication