Cells in humans and animals who have recovered from tuberculosis prematurely aged up to 12 to 14 years, a new study has found. Even after successful therapy, survivors have a higher risk of recurrent infection and even death, the study by Baylor College of Medicine has found.
It is possible that premature cellular ageing is a reason why tuberculosis survivors have a high risk of mortality, Asian News International quoted Baylor College of Medicine Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases Dr Andrew DiNardo as saying.
The study, published in Aging, measured the ageing of cells. The researchers also looked at the cells’ epigenetic clock.
Epigenetics looks at how the cell DNA is coiled. How the DNA is coiled inside the cell changes with age and severe infections change it in such a way to increase premature ageing.
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In the study, the researchers studied several cohorts and multiple tissue types. They discovered that tuberculosis induced perturbations in epigenetic regulation, especially in the regulation mediated by DNA methylation. These changes are associated with oxidative stress-induced senescence and correlate to premature cellular ageing. Both guinea pigs and humans conserved these processes.
Dr DiNardo, the lead author of the study, said this was an important area to look at after any severe infection, including SARS-CoV-2 or sepsis. The infection’s severity also plays a part in the ageing of cells, he said.
Dr Cristian Coarfa, Baylor College of Medicine Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology and co-corresponding author, said now that the mechanism was clear, there were some ways that could be targeted to slow and decrease premature epigenetic ageing in these cells.
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India reported 19,33,381 new and relapsed tuberculosis cases in 2021 — 19% on-year rise —the Centre said in its annual tuberculosis report released by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday.
The report, launched on World Tuberculosis Day, said there were an estimated 4.93 lakh deaths, excluding HIV patients, due to the infectious disease in 2020 — 13% higher than the previous year.
India reports the highest cases globally at over 26%. It also reports 34% of the deaths due to the bacterial disease.
from | The Financial Express https://ift.tt/gcZ51XY
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