Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40163531›Full record

ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2025

Transcriptional and cytokine signatures of Mycobacterium abscessus complex pulmonary disease during disease progression and treatment.

Ayesa Syenina, Yi Hern Tan, Danny Jian Hang Tng, Sandy Xue Qi Sim, Valerie Shyn Yun Chew, Jia Xin Yee, Eugenia Ziying Ong, Eng Eong Ooi, Jenny Guek Hong Low, Dorothy Hui Lin Ng

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Cells · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Ayesa SyeninaViral Research and Experimental Medicine Centre (ViREMiCS), SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
Yi Hern TanDepartment of Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Danny Jian Hang TngDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Sandy Xue Qi SimDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Valerie Shyn Yun ChewViral Research and Experimental Medicine Centre (ViREMiCS), SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
Jia Xin YeeViral Research and Experimental Medicine Centre (ViREMiCS), SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
Eugenia Ziying OngViral Research and Experimental Medicine Centre (ViREMiCS), SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
Eng Eong OoiViral Research and Experimental Medicine Centre (ViREMiCS), SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
Jenny Guek Hong LowViral Research and Experimental Medicine Centre (ViREMiCS), SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
Dorothy Hui Lin NgProgramme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0003-0917-1474

Funding

SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medicine (AM) Research Grant
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMycobacterium abscessus complex pulmonary disease (MABC-PD) is a chronic and often relapsing disease with considerable morbidity, especially among individuals with other chronic pulmonary conditions. A major clinical challenge lies in distinguishing infection-related symptoms from underlying lung disease and identifying reliable prognosticators to guide treatment decisions and monitoring therapeutic response. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL

findingsTo address the gaps in clinically relevant indicators, we profiled whole blood transcriptome and 45 plasma proteins of MABC-PD patients across different disease and treatment phases. Whole blood bulk RNA-sequencing revealed that MABC-PD patients with progressive disease exhibited elevated expression of genes related to innate immune and inflammatory responses, with reduced abundance of genes associated with peripheral T and NK cells. Among the 45 plasma cytokines and chemokines profiled, plasma levels of TNFSF10 were significantly reduced, while IFNγ, interleukin-17F (IL17F) and IL17C were elevated in patients with disease progression, despite the reduced abundance of peripheral T and NK cell-associated genes, suggesting recruitment of activated T cells to infection sites in the lungs during disease progression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of IFNγ and IL17F demonstrated strong predictive performance for differentiating patients with disease progression from healthy controls, with AUCs of 0.946 (95% CI 0.829-1.000) and 0.875 (95% CI 0.6699-1), respectively.

conclusionsThese findings provide insights into the immune profiles of MABC-PD patients during disease progression and suggest that T cell-associated cytokines, such as IFNγ and IL17F, could serve as useful biomarkers for identifying those under watchful waiting or post-treatment who are at risk of disease progression, thereby aiding in more timely and targeted therapeutic interventions.

Indexed as

CytokinesLung DiseasesMycobacterium abscessusMycobacterium Infections, NontuberculousAdultAgedDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedTranscriptomeCytokines

Identifiers

PMID40163531
PMCPMC11981118

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.