Genetic determinants of susceptibility to tuberculosis
We are conducting research to determine how genetic variants influence host response to M. tuberculosis among people of Bangladeshi and Pakistani ancestry participating in the QMUL’s Genes and Health programme - the world’s largest community-based study of genetics and health in British Bangladeshis and British Pakistanis. This work will focus particularly on gene variants known to mediate activation of innate-like T cells, e.g., γδ T cells, mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells. These cells are a source of early IFN-γ that is essential for the IL-12/IL-23/IFN-γ axis that mediates type-1 immunity to intracellular pathogens such as M. tuberculosis.