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The following is a summary of “Role of dormancy survival regulator and resuscitation-promoting factors antigens in differentiating between active and latent tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in the October 2024 issue of Pulmonology by Wu et al. 

The Dormancy Survival Regulator (DosR) and Resuscitation-Promoting Factor (Rpf) antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were activated during the dormant phase of tuberculosis (TB).  

Researchers conducted a study to assess the differential immunogenicity of DosR and Rpf antigens in individuals with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and active TB.   

They performed a literature search in electronic databases and selected studies based on precise eligibility criteria and systematically synthesized the outcomes, performed the meta-analyses to estimate standardized mean differences (SMDs) in interferon-gamma (IFNγ) levels and IFNγ-positive immune cells between individuals with LTBI and patients with active TB.  

The results showed that 26 studies (1,278 individuals with LTBI and 1,189 with active TB) were included, DosR antigens Rv0569 (SMD 2.44 [95% CI: 1.21, 3.66]; P < 0.0001), Rv1733c (SMD 0.60 [95% CI: 0.14, 1.07]; P = 0.011), Rv1735c (SMD 1.16 [95% CI: 0.44, 1.88]; P = 0.002), Rv1737c (SMD 1.26 [95% CI: 0.59, 1.92]; P < 0.0001), Rv2029c (SMD 0.89 [95% CI: 0.35, 1.42]; P = 0.002), RV2626c (SMD 1.24 [95% CI: 0.45, 2.02]; P = 0.002), and Rv2628 (SMD 0.65 [95% CI: 0.38, 0.91]; P < 0.0001), as well as Rpf antigens Rv0867c (SMD 1.33 [95% CI: 0.48, 2.18]; P = 0.002), Rv1009 (SMD 0.65 [95% CI: 0.05, 1.25]; P = 0.034), and Rv2450c (SMD 1.54 [95% CI: 0.92, 2.16]; P < 0.0001), showed higher IFNγ levels in individuals with LTBI compared to those with active TB . Higher levels of IFNγ-positive immune cells were observed in individuals with LTBI for antigens Rv1733c (SMD 1.02 [95% CI: 0.15, 1.88]; P = 0.021), Rv2029c (SMD 0.57 [95% CI: 0.05, 1.09]; P = 0.031), and Rv2628 (SMD 0.38 [95% CI: 0.15, 0.61]; P = 0.001).  

Investigators concluded that DosR and Rpf antigens elicited distinct immune responses in individuals with LTBI and those with active TB. 

Source: bmcpulmmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12890-024-03348-4