Tuberculosis (often called TB) is a disease caused by a germ called mycobacterium tuberculosis. Since current vaccines and management are only partially effective, it is on the increase both in the UK and around the world despite efforts to control the disease. Clearly, there is a major need for better treatments to comprehensively tackle TB.
Some people have a greater natural ability to fight TB than others. This is thought to be due to differences in genes controlling how our immune system tackles TB. However, little is known of the genes involved. Better understanding of these genes, will help scientists develop better vaccines and drugs to help everyone fight TB successfully.
With this BLF funding, Professor Newport and her team studied how well the immune systems of babies from the Gambia respond to TB and which genes might be important in this process. They found that genes located on chromosomes 8, 10 and 11 are crucial. Moreover, the team have narrowed down their search to around 20 individual genes which they believe are particularly critical to fighting TB.
Further work is now needed to determine the exact role of these genes and how their function can be improved in people less able to fight TB. In the long term, this work will contribute to improved treatment for millions of people with TB around the world. In the short term, these findings may lead to the development of a genetic test to identify people least able to fight TB and who therefore need specialist treatment and particularly careful monitoring.
Professor Newport’s career has focused on understanding how our genes influence how well we are protected againstinfectious diseases.
Professor Newport has previously worked at the Medical Research Council Laboratories in the Gambia to investigate the genetic basis of susceptibility to TB.
