A collaborative study between the A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs) and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Chan Medical School has uncovered that elevated glycerol levels are responsible for increased severity of tuberculosis (TB) disease in experimental models with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

A study led by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's (A*STAR) Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and Infectious Diseases Labs (ID Labs) has identified a gene, KCNJ15, that is associated with helping our immune system fight tuberculosis (TB), and potentially other infectious diseases. The research was published in Nature Microbiology on 31 January 2022.

An organic compound found in grape skins can stimulate the mouse immune system to fight even the most persistent tuberculosis strains. Such immune-based therapies, commonly used to treat cancer, could be the only hope against the spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis, says Amit Singhal, who led the study at the A*STAR Singapore Immunology Network.

A microchip-based test developed by A*STAR researchers can diagnose tuberculosis in 15 minutes. The test meets the speed, cost, accessibility and disposal standards recommended by the World Health Organization for detecting the deadly disease.

The drug metformin, already used in the USA to treat type 2 diabetes, also enhances the body's immune response to tuberculosis, according to A*STAR researchers.

SINGAPORE, Dec 17, 2014 - A more effective treatment for tuberculosis (TB) could soon be available as scientists have discovered that Metformin (MET), a drug for treating diabetes, can also be used to boost the efficacy of TB medication without inducing drug resistance.