结核分枝杆菌katG、inhA、ahpC等突变与异烟肼耐药关系的研究

目的：了解结核分枝杆菌katG、inhA、ahpC、fabG1、sodA及sodC基因突变的特征及其与耐异烟肼的关系。方法对127例活动性肺结核患者痰标本进行菌型鉴定及结核分枝杆菌药敏试验,提取结核分枝杆菌菌株DNA,应用PCR扩增katG、inhA及ahpC、fabG1、sodA及sodC基因片段,并进行DNA序列分析。结果结核分枝杆菌药物敏感试验显示127株结核分枝杆菌中,其中47株耐异烟肼,80株对异烟肼敏感,耐异烟肼率为37.01%。47株耐异烟肼中,29株存在katG和（或）inhA基因突变,其中22株（46.81%,22/47）存在katG基因单位点突变,3株（6.38%,3/47）存在inhA基因单位点突变,4株（8.51%,4/47）存在katG及inhA基因联合位点突变。22株katG基因单位点突变中,20株为AGC315ACC、AGC315AAC （42.55%,20/47）突变,2株（2.13%,1/47）分别为CTG378CCG（Leu378Pro）、ACG394ATG（Thr394Met）突变,该突变位点及突变形式尚未见文献报道。18株katG及inhA未突变结核分枝杆菌均未检测到ahpC、fabG1、sodA及sodC基因突变。结论结核分枝杆菌对异烟肼耐药主要与katG和inhA基因突变有关。耐异烟肼结核分枝杆菌临床分离株378和394新突变位点的发现为进一步研究耐药机制以及耐药结核病的快速检测提供了依据。     

katG基因二个不同区域基因变异与结核分枝杆菌异烟肼耐药的相关性研究

目的 分析结核分枝杆菌katG基因2个不同区域的基因变异,并确定与INH耐药的相关性.方法 从痰液分离并鉴定结核分枝杆菌耐INH菌株53株,用PCR扩增katG基因的2个区域:区域1为第1位密码子至150位密码子,区域2为第227位密码子至470位密码子,并分别测序.结果 3株对INH耐药但2个区域都不发生突变.14株区域1存在突变,其中5株只在区域1存在突变,5株在区域1出现缺失突变,并呈现高度耐药.点突变是区域2的主要特点,特别是S315位密码子,60.4%(32/53)S315发生突变,最常见的是S315N(AGC→AAC)(18株);katG S315在高度INH耐药和低度INH耐药的结核分枝杆菌中突变率分别是84.4%(27/32)、15.6%(5/32),两组间差异有统计学意义(x2=30.25,P＜0.01).27株S315突变呈高度耐药,占S315突变菌株总数的84.4%,其余18株至少有一个非S315点突变的耐药株中高度耐药只有5株,占27.7%,两组间差异有统计学意义(x2=16.02,P＜0.01).对INH耐药的结核分枝杆菌区域2的突变发生率为84.9%.5株只在区域1存在突变,通过检测基因突变诊断INH耐药的检出率上升至94.3%.结论 S315突变发生率最高,突变类型和位置与耐药程度密切相关,分析区域1能使检出率提高9.4%.

Abstract：

Objective To analyze and compare the mutations in two different regions of the katG gene and study the relevance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isoniazid-resistance and mutations in two different regions of the katG gene. Methods Fifty-three INH-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated in cultures of sputum samples obtained from Zhejiang province were analyzed. PCR was used to amplify two regions of the katG gene (GenBank accession no. U06258) region 1 (from codon 1 to codon 150) and region 2 ( from codon 227 to codon 470) which were then sequenced in order to identify mutations. Results Three strains resistant to INH did not contain mutations in either region. Fourteen strains carried mutations in region 1. Among them 5 strains barbered deletions, and showed high-level resistance to isoniazid. Five strains had mutations only in region 1. Region 2 carried multiple point mutations, especially at codon 315, and there were S315 N ( AGC→AAC ) substitution in 18 of those cases. The frequency of mutations in the katG S315 of high-level INH-resistance isolates ( 84. 4%, 27/32) was significantly higher than those of low-level INH-resistance isolates( 15.6%, 5/32 ), there was statistically significant difference (x2 = 30. 25, P ＜ 0. 01 ).katG S315 mutations in high-level INH-resistance frequency (84. 4%, 27/32) was significantly higher than the other mutations of katG gene of high-level INH-resistance frequency (27. 7%, 5/18 ), there was significant difference (x2 = 16.02, P ＜ 0. 01 ). The analysis of region 2 allowed INH resistance to be diagnosed in 84. 9% of the strains. Five strains had mutations only in region 1 ,which allowed the proportion of INH-resistant strains identified to be increased to 94. 3%. Conclusions The number of mutations at codon 315 was high. Mutation type and location closely related with drug resistance and the analysis of region 1 resulted in a 9. 4% increase in the rate at which mutations were identified.     

Molecular analysis of isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates recovered from South Korea

The katG, inhA and ahpC genes, in 71 isoniazid (INH)-resistant and 26 INH-susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, from South Korea were examined by sequencing and MspI restriction enzyme analysis. Mutations in the katG 315 alone, katG 315 plus inhA, katG 315 plus ahpC, katG 309 alone, katG 309 plus inhA, inhA alone, and ahpC alone, were detected in 54.9, 2.8, 1.4, 1.4, 1.4, 19.7, and 5.6% of the 71 INH-resistant isolates, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in the frequencies of these mutations for the INH-monoresistant compared with the multidrug-resistant isolates. Mutations in the katG codon 315 were associated with the high-level of INH resistance (MIC, >1 microg/ml), whereas the mutation in the inhA promoter region was associated with the low-level of INH resistance (MIC, >0.2 to 1 microg/ml). The previously undescribed GGT-->GAT (Gly-->Asp) mutation in the katG codon 309 was found in two rifampin, including-multidrug-resistant isolates, but we cannot assess if this is predictive of INH resistance. The sensitivity and specificity of molecular analysis of the katG codon 315 and/or the inhA promoter region were 80.3 and 100%, respectively. Therefore, mutations in these regions are highly predictive of INH resistance in South Korea.     

New multiplex PCR for rapid detection of isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates

In this study, we describe a multiplex PCR to detect a AGC-->ACC (serine to threonine) mutation in the katG gene and a -15 C-to-T substitution (inhA(C-15T)) at the 5' end of a presumed ribosome binding site in the promoter of the mabA-inhA operon. These mutations have been reported in the majority of previous studies as the most frequent mutations involved in the resistance to isoniazid (INH) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical strains with high levels of resistance. The method was optimized and validated after an analysis of 30 M. tuberculosis clinical isolates with known sequences of the relevant part of the katG gene and the regulatory region of the mabA-inhA operon. We analyzed 297 INH-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates collected in Spain from 1996 to 2003 by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (using the katG gene), DNA sequencing, and the newly developed multiplex PCR. The results were concordant for all 297 isolates tested. The analysis revealed that 204 (68.7%) of the isolates carried one or both of the mutations. This finding suggests that with further development this multiplex PCR will be able to detect the majority of the INH-resistant M. tuberculosis clinical isolates from Spain and other countries where a high frequency of similar mutations occur.     

Molecular characteristics of rifampicin- and isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from the Russian Federation

OBJECTIVES: Three Mycobacterium tuberculosis genetic loci--rpoB and katG genes and the fabG1(mabA)-inhA operon promoter region--were studied to reveal the mutations associated with rifampicin and isoniazid resistance. METHODS: Four hundred and twelve isolates of M. tuberculosis from different regions of the Russian Federation were collected during 1997-2005. A matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)-based minisequencing method was used for the detection of mutations. RESULTS: Thirteen different variants of single mutations in codons 533, 531, 526, 516, 513 and 511 of the rifampicin resistance-determining region of the rpoB gene as well as the TTG insertion in the 514a position were found among the rifampicin-resistant isolates. Single nucleotide substitutions in codons 531, 526 and 516 (64.8%, 10.3% and 7.7%, respectively) were the most prevalent mutations. Codon 526 was shown to be the most variable of all. No mutations were detected in rpoB genes for 29 (10.7%) of the rifampicin-resistant isolates. 76.9% of the isoniazid-resistant isolates carried single mutations in codon 315 of the katG gene. For another 12.9% of them, double mutations in the katG gene and the fabG1(mabA)-inhA promoter region were revealed. No mutations were detected in 8.2% of the isoniazid-resistant isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular analysis of the loci of rpoB and katG genes and the inhA promoter region of 412 M. tuberculosis clinical isolates from various parts of the Russian Federation was carried out. The new MALDI-TOF MS-based method may be used for rapid and accurate monitoring of the spread of drug resistance.     

探针熔解分析法检测结核分枝杆菌异烟肼耐药突变的应用和评价

目的 评价PMA技术检测MTB对INH耐药突变的价值,调查INH耐药突变发生特征.方法 MTB标准株H37Rv来自国家结核病参比实验室,1株INH敏感株和1株katG S315TACC突变株来自厦门市疾病预防控制中心,7株含有已知INH耐药突变的结核耐药株来自深圳慢性病防治中心、河南省疾病预防控制中心、中国人民解放军第309医院和厦门市疾病预防控制中心.707份MTB临床分离株来自厦门市疾病预防控制中心、厦门市第一医院和漳州市疾病预防控制中心,126份MTB涂阳痰标本来自厦门市同安区疾病预防控制中心.MTB标准株H37Rv、7株MTB INH耐药株和833份临床标本均采用厦门致善结核分枝杆菌异烟肼耐药突变检测试剂盒热裂解法提取基因组DNA,1株INH敏感株和1株katG S315T ACC突变株采用AxyPrepTM细菌基因组DNA提取试剂盒提取基因组DNA.熔解曲线分析所检标本与野生型对照在katG315位密码子、inhA启动子区(- 17～-8位点)、ahpC启动子区(-44～-30以及-15 ～3位点)及inhA94位密码子的熔解温度(Tm值)差异判断标本是否发生INH耐药突变.3×105拷贝/反应的野生株和katG S315T ACC突变株以10倍梯度稀释至300拷贝/反应,分析PMA技术的灵敏度.用PMA技术检测7株含有已知INH耐药突变的结核耐药株,评价特异性,并就其中5种耐药突变进行重复性检验.测序验证PMA技术对833份标本INH耐药性的临床检测效能.结果 PMA技术从核酸提取到结果判断可在3小时内完成,在标准96孔实时PCR仪器上可同时检测46份标本.对野生株和katG S315T ACC突变株的灵敏度均为300拷贝/反应,能够同时区分9种INH耐药相关点突变或缺失,5种耐药突变的Tm值标准偏差均在0.5℃之内.检出的162份突变标本与测序验证结果均一致.临床标本验证突变率为19.4％( 162/833),在所检出的14种INH耐药突变katGS315T( AGC →ACC)、inhA启动子区- 15C→T和katG S315N (AGC→AAC)这3种突变占INH耐药突变标本的83.3％(135/162).结论 PMA技术可快速、灵敏、特异检测结核INH耐药突变.     

High prevalence of KatG Ser315Thr substitution among isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates from northwestern Russia, 1996 to 2001

A total of 204 isoniazid (INH)-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from different patients in the northwestern region of Russia from 1996 to 2001 were screened by a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay. This assay uses HapII cleavage of an amplified fragment of the katG gene to detect the transversion 315AGC-->ACC (Ser-->Thr), which is associated with INH resistance. This analysis revealed a 93.6% prevalence of the katG S315T mutation in strains from patients with both newly and previously diagnosed cases of tuberculosis (TB). This mutation was not found in any of 57 INH-susceptible isolates included in the study. The specificity of the assay was 100%; all isolates that contained the S315T mutation were classified as resistant by a culture-based susceptibility testing method. The Beijing genotype, defined by IS6110-RFLP analysis and the spacer oligonucleotide typing (spoligotyping) method, was found in 60.3% of the INH-resistant strains studied. The katG S315T shift was more prevalent among Beijing genotype strains than among non-Beijing genotype strains: 97.8 versus 84.6%, respectively, for all isolates, including those from patients with new and previously diagnosed cases, isolated from 1999 to 2001 and 100.0 versus 86.5%, respectively, for isolates from patients with new cases isolated from 1996 to 2001. The design of this PCR-RFLP assay allows the rapid and unambiguous identification of the katG 315ACC mutant allele. The simplicity of the assay permits its implementation into routine practice in clinical microbiology laboratories in regions with a high incidence of TB where this mutation is predominant, including northwestern Russia.     

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes associated with isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Isoniazid (INH) is a central component of drug regimens used worldwide to treat tuberculosis. Previous studies have identified resistance-associated mutations in katG, inhA, kasA, ndh, and the oxyR-ahpC intergenic region. DNA microarray-based experiments have shown that INH induces several genes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis that encode proteins physiologically relevant to the drug's mode of action. To gain further insight into the molecular genetic basis of INH resistance, 20 genes implicated in INH resistance were sequenced for INH resistance-associated mutations. Thirty-eight INH-monoresistant clinical isolates and 86 INH-susceptible isolates of M. tuberculosis were obtained from the Texas Department of Health and the Houston Tuberculosis Initiative. Epidemiologic independence was established for all isolates by IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Susceptible isolates were matched with resistant isolates by molecular genetic group and IS6110 profiles. Spoligotyping was done with isolates with five or fewer IS6110 copies. A major genetic group was established on the basis of the polymorphisms in katG codon 463 and gyrA codon 95. MICs were determined by the E-test. Semiquantitative catalase assays were performed with isolates with mutations in the katG gene. When the 20 genes were sequenced, it was found that 17 (44.7%) INH-resistant isolates had a single-locus, resistance-associated mutation in the katG, mabA, or Rv1772 gene. Seventeen (44.7%) INH-resistant isolates had resistance-associated mutations in two or more genes, and 76% of all INH-resistant isolates had a mutation in the katG gene. Mutations were also identified in the fadE24, Rv1592c, Rv1772, Rv0340, and iniBAC genes, recently shown by DNA-based microarray experiments to be upregulated in response to INH. In general, the MICs were higher for isolates with mutations in katG and the isolates had reduced catalase activities. The results show that a variety of single nucleotide polymorphisms in multiple genes are found exclusively in INH-resistant clinical isolates. These genes either are involved in mycolic acid biosynthesis or are overexpressed as a response to the buildup or cellular toxicity of INH.     

Phenotypic and molecular characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates resistant to both isoniazid and ethambutol

In performing radiometric susceptibility testing on over 2,000 patient isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during the past 6 years, we found that resistance to 7.5 microg/ml ethambutol (EMB) occurred only in isolates that are also resistant to 0.4 microg/ml isoniazid (INH). Using 157 selected isolates in the present study, we performed radiometric and agar proportion susceptibility tests and DNA sequencing of genetic regions associated with resistance to these two drugs. The goal was to study the occurrence of the common mutations associated with resistance to each drug and also to determine whether any particular INH-resistance-associated mutation occurred more often in combination with any particular EMB-resistance-associated mutation. In an analysis of 128 isolates resistant to 0.4 microg/ml INH, we found that a mutation at katG Ser315 was more common in isolates also resistant to 7.5 microg/ml EMB (61 of 67=91.0%) than in isolates either susceptible to EMB or resistant to 2.5 microg/ml EMB (39 of 60=65.0%). These observations suggest that INH-resistant strains with a mutation at katG Ser315 are more likely to acquire resistance to 7.5 microg/ml EMB than are isolates with INH-resistance-associated mutations at other sites. In addition, we found that 64 of 67 (95.5%) isolates resistant to 7.5 microg/ml EMB contained a mutation in either codon 306 or codon 406 of embB. Met306Val was the most common embB mutation, present in 52 (77.6%) of the 67 isolates. Most occurrences of this mutation (49 of 52=94.2%) were found in isolates that also contained the katG Ser315Thr mutation. Finally, sequencing this region of embB appears to be sufficiently sensitive for use as a rapid screening tool for detection of high-level resistance to EMB.     

Evaluation of the CombiChip Mycobacteria Drug-Resistance detection DNA chip for identifying mutations associated with resistance to isoniazid and rifampin in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The CombiChip Mycobacteriatrade mark Drug-Resistance Detection DNA chip, recently developed by GeneIn (Pusan, South Korea), is an oligonucleotide microchip coupled with polymerase chain reaction for the detection of mutations associated with resistance to isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RIF). This oligonucleotide chip was compared with DNA sequencing and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing with 69 INH- and/or RIF-resistant and 27 all tested drug-susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. Two selected codons (the katG codon 315 and inhA15) allowed identification of 84.1% of INH-resistant isolates and 100% of RIF resistance were detected by screening for 7 codons: rpoB511, rpoB513, rpoB516, rpoB522, rpoB526, rpoB531, and rpoB533. The overall specificity of this oligonucleotide chip for detecting INH and RIF resistance were 100 and 95.3%, respectively. This level of sensitivity and specificity is concordant with that from the determination of M. tuberculosis drug resistance by DNA sequencing. This oligonucleotide chip is a rapid and reliable genotypic method capable of detecting multiple mutations associated with INH and RIF resistance simultaneously in a single microchip slide.     

Molecular analysis of katG gene mutations in strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from Africa.

A sample of 124 isoniazid (INH)-resistant and 88 susceptible strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from south, central, and west Africa was analyzed by direct sequence analysis and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of their catalase-peroxidase (katG) genes. Point mutations at codon 315 were found in the genomes of 64% of INH-resistant strains, but no complete deletions were identified. Mutations at codon 463 were independent of INH resistance and were linked to the geographic origins of the strains.     

Prevalence of and molecular basis for tuberculosis drug resistance in the Republic of Georgia: validation of a QIAplex system for detection of drug resistance-related mutations

We developed a QIAplex system for the simultaneous detection of 24 Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene mutations responsible for resistance to isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), streptomycin (STM), and ethambutol (EMB) in 196 M. tuberculosis isolates recovered in the Republic of Georgia. In comparison to phenotypic susceptibility tests, the QIAplex showed sensitivity and specificity of 85.4% and 96.1% for INH, 94.4% and 99.4% for RIF, 69.6% and 99.2% for STM, 50.0% and 98.8% for EBM, and 86.7% and 100.0% for multidrug resistance, respectively. The dominant resistance mutations revealed were a mutation in katG resulting in S315T (katG S315T), rpsL K43R, and rpoB S531L. Mutations katG S315G and S315T and rpoB S531L were detected with higher frequencies in pretreated patients than in naive patients (P < 0.05). Simultaneous detection of 24 common drug resistance-related mutations provides a molecular tool for studying and monitoring M. tuberculosis resistance mechanism and epidemiology.     

Analysis of the oxyR-ahpC region in isoniazid-resistant and -susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex organisms recovered from diseased humans and animals in diverse localities.

Automated DNA sequencing was used to analyze the oxyR-ahpC region in 229 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates recently recovered from diseased humans and animals. The entire 1,221-bp region was studied in 118 isolates, and 111 other isolates were sequenced for oxyR, ahpC, or the 105-bp oxyR-ahpC intergenic region. The sample included isoniazid (INH)-susceptible and -resistant organisms in which the katG gene and inhA locus had previously been sequenced in their entirety to identify polymorphisms. A total of 16 polymorphic sites was identified, including 5 located in oxyR, 2 in ahpC, and 9 in the 105-bp intergenic region. All polymorphic sites located in the intergenic region, and the two missense substitutions identified in ahpC, occurred in INH-resistant organisms. In contrast, there was no preferential association of polymorphisms in oxyR, a pseudogene, with INH-resistant organisms. Surprisingly, most INH-resistant strains with KatG codon 315 substitutions that substantially reduce catalase-peroxidase activity and confer high MICs of INH lacked alterations in the ahpC gene or oxyR-ahpC intervening region. Taken together, the data are consistent with the hypothesis that some polymorphisms located in the ahpC-oxyR intergenic region are selected for after reduction in catalase or peroxidase activity attributable to katG alterations arising with INH therapy. These mutations are uncommon in recently recovered clinically significant organisms, and hence, there is no strict association with INH-resistant patient isolates. The ahpC compensatory mutations are apparently uncommon because strains with a KatG null phenotype are relatively rare among epidemiologically independent INH-resistant organisms.     

Molecular characterization of isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates in Lithuania

Mutations at codon 315 of the katG gene were detected in 312 of 364 (85.7%) isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. Seven of 52 (13.5%) isoniazid-resistant isolates with the wild-type Ser315 codon and 10 of 52 (19.2%) isoniazid-resistant isolates with a mutated katG allele had mutation -15C-->T in the promoter of the mabA-inhA operon.     

Molecular characterization of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated in Nepal

Despite the fact that Nepal is one of the first countries globally to introduce multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) case management, the number of MDR-TB cases is continuing to rise in Nepal. Rapid molecular tests applicable in this setting to identify resistant organisms would be an effective tool in reversing this trend. To develop such tools, information about the frequency and distribution of mutations that are associated with phenotypic drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is required. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of mutations in rpoB and katG genes and the inhA promoter region in 158 M. tuberculosis isolates (109 phenotypically MDR and 49 non-MDR isolates collected in Nepal) by DNA sequencing. Mutations affecting the 81-bp rifampin (RIF) resistance-determining region (RRDR) of rpoB were identified in 106 of 109 (97.3%) RIF-resistant isolates. Codons 531, 526, and 516 were the most commonly affected, at percentages of 58.7, 15.6, and 15.6%, respectively. Of 113 isoniazid (INH)-resistant isolates, 99 (87.6%) had mutations in the katG gene, with Ser315Thr being the most prevalent (81.4%) substitution. Mutations in the inhA promoter region were detected in 14 (12.4%) INH-resistant isolates. The results from this study provide an overview of the current situation of RIF and INH resistance in M. tuberculosis in Nepal and can serve as a basis for developing or improving rapid molecular tests to monitor drug-resistant strains in this country.     

Rapid detection of specific gene mutations associated with isoniazid or rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates using non-fluorescent low-density DNA microarrays

BACKGROUND: A new, fast 'low cost and density' DNA microarray (LCD array), designed for the detection of mutations that confer isoniazid or rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, has been developed and was evaluated using 46 resistant clinical isolates from Barcelona. METHODS: LCD chips are pre-structured polymer supports using a non-fluorescent detection principle based on the precipitation of a clearly visible dark substrate. One LCD chip consists of eight identical microarrays, designed to detect mutations within the 90 bp rpoB region, codon 315 in the katG gene and the mabA-inhA regulatory region. A total of 22 strains with a katG 315 mutation, 19 strains with alterations in the mabA-inhA regulatory region and 16 strains with mutations in the rpoB region, characterized previously, were studied. RESULTS: The identification of S315T and S315N mutations using the LCD was 100% concordant with the sequencing data. A strain with the S315R mutation, which is not tiled on the LCD array, was detected by the absence of hybridization using the wild-type probe. Of 19 strains with low-level isoniazid resistance related to the mabA-inhA regulatory region, 18 were identified correctly. The detection of mutations in the rpoB region was 93.8% concordant with the sequencing data. One mabA-inhA and rpoB mutated strain showed a cross-hybridization. CONCLUSIONS: The LCD array protocol takes 45 min (15 min 'hands-on' time) after prior PCR amplification. Only minimal laboratory equipment is required. LCD arrays provide a rapid and economical method to characterize mutations in codon 315 of the katG gene, in the mabA-inhA regulatory region and in the rpoB gene.     

Isoniazid induces its own resistance in nonreplicating Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Isoniazid (INH) resistance is most frequent among drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates. This study was conducted to investigate whether INH could induce its own resistance. During INH susceptibility testing in BACTEC 12B and MGIT 960 media, weekly subcultures were made from the drug-containing media into fresh medium without drug and susceptibility testing was performed. Rifampin (RIF) was used as a control drug. M. tuberculosis H37Rv and three clinical isolates were tested in this study. INH-resistant subcultures were analyzed for catalase activity, INH susceptibility, and mutations associated with INH resistance. With inoculum size (10(4) bacilli) smaller than a size that contains spontaneously INH-resistant mutants, INH was found to induce resistance to itself in INH-tolerant persisters but not to other drugs. The minimum time required for induction of INH resistance was 5 to 6 days. In contrast, RIF did not induce RIF resistance. Eight subcultures with INH-induced resistance were analyzed, and two had a MIC of 0.4 microg/ml INH and six had MICs of over 2 microg/ml INH. Four of the eight subcultures with INH-induced resistance had lost catalase activity, with three having katG mutations. Despite being a powerful frontline tuberculosis drug, INH has the potential drawback of inducing its own stable genetic resistance in INH-tolerant persisters. This finding helps to explain the higher frequency and prevalence of INH-resistant isolates than isolates with resistance to other drugs in patients.     

Mutations in katG gene sequences in isoniazid-resistant clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are rare.

In this study, a battery of oligonucleotides was directed toward the katG gene and PCR-single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis was used to search for katG gene deviations in clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from different geographical regions. Since a complete deletion of the katG gene was not found, it is suggested that deletion is not a major mechanism of isoniazid (isonicotinic acid hydrazide; INH) resistance in these isolates. However, 7 of 39 isolates (4 of 25 from South Africa and 3 of 14 from other geographical regions) showed mobility shifts by SSCP analysis, suggesting aberrations in the katG gene. Direct sequence analysis confirmed that the mobility shifts were due to Thr-275-->Ala (Thr275Ala), Arg409Ala, Arg463Leu, and Asp695Ala mutations and a 12-bp deletion in the 5' region of the katG gene. Mutations at codons 275, 463, and 695 created altered restriction sites for HhaI, MspI, and HaeIII, respectively, and sequence results, supported by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, suggested that the PCR-SSCP procedure is a good indicator of mutations in PCR-amplified fragments. Identical mutations at codons 463 and 275 were found in isolates from different geographical regions. This may suggest a common evolutionary event, but one of the control isolates (susceptible to INH [3%; n = 30]) also had a mutation at codon 463. The results suggest that variations in the katG coding gene sequences of INH-resistant isolates of M. tuberculosis are infrequent and that defects in other regions of the M. tuberculosis genome are of equal or greater importance in contributing to the acquisition of resistance to INH.     

Improved real-time PCR for rapid detection of rifampin and isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates

In this study we designed two pairs of probes for the detection of rifampin and isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with real-time PCR procedures. One pair of probes spans the region between codon 510 and 528 of the rpoB gene, and the other one screens for mutation at the regulatory region of the inhA gene. We have evaluated these probes in combination with two other pairs of probes previously described to detect mutations in 20 susceptible and 53 unique resistant M. tuberculosis clinical isolates. We were able to detect nine different mutations affecting five codons of the rpoB gene, two different mutations at codon 315 of the katG gene and a nucleotide substitution (C209T) in the regulatory region of the inhA gene within two hours turnaround.     

Direct detection of isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in respiratory specimens by multiplex allele-specific polymerase chain reaction

This study evaluated the feasibility of using 2 multiplex allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (MAS-PCR) assays targeting 2 mutations (codon 315 of the katG gene and the 15th nucleotide preceding the mabA-inhA operon) to directly detect isoniazid (INH)-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in cultured isolates and respiratory specimens. A total of 203 M. tuberculosis isolates and 487 respiratory specimens were investigated. The MAS-PCR assays successfully amplified all M. tuberculosis isolates and acid-fast bacilli smear-positive specimens while only 49.2% of the smear-negative specimens exhibited positive MAS-PCR results. The MAS-PCR assays identified 83.4% and 79.2% of the resistant strains in the culture isolates and respiratory specimens, respectively. All the inferred genotypes were in complete accordance with subsequent DNA sequence analyses. This study suggested the application of our improved MAS-PCR protocols to provide the rapid identification of INH-resistant M. tuberculosis directly in respiratory specimens. The technical simplicity, short turnaround time, and low cost of this molecular strategy should facilitate routine diagnostic services in developing areas with a high prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis.