IntroductionCervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (CTL) represents a localized manifestation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in which immune responses are organized within lymphoid tissue. While cytotoxic lymphocyte responses contribute to antimycobacterial immunity, the cytokine networks coordinating these responses in human lymph node tuberculosis remain incompletely defined.MethodsWe performed integrated immune profiling of patients with CTL (n = 60) and non-tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy (CNTL; n = 44).
Immune−gene expression was quantified in peripheral blood and lymph node mononuclear cells by qPCR. Systems-level analyses including principal component and correlation-network approaches were used to define coordinated immune pathways.
Serum IL−15 was measured by ELISA, and tissue localization of IL−15 and IL−15Rα was examined by immunohistochemistry.ResultsCTL was characterized by a structured cytotoxic immune program enriched for granulysin, granzyme B, perforin, IFN-γ, and CCL5. Network analysis identified IL-15 as a highly connected hub within this cytotoxic module in CTL.
IL-15 transcripts were significantly elevated in both blood and lymph node compartments (p = 0.0003; p = 0.0007, respectively) and strongly correlated with cytotoxic effector genes.
Frontiers in Immunology published a clinical update in Infectious Disease on 03 Jun 2026.
The item focuses on Interleukin-15 correlates with cytotoxic immune networks in cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis.
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