Blood transcriptome following intravenous BCG vaccination in rhesus macaques. Blood transcriptome following intravenous BCG vaccination in rhesus macaques

To determine the blood transcriptional response to intravenous (IV) BCG vaccination in rhesus macaques and identify correlates of vaccine-mediated protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) challenge. Overall design: Thirty-four rhesus macaques of Indian origin were vaccinated with half-log increasing doses of IV BCG (between 3.9x10e4 and 2.5x10e7 CFU) and challenged with Mtb twenty-four weeks later. Bulk RNA sequencing was performed on whole blood samples collected at baseline (four weeks pre-vaccination) and at two days, two weeks, four weeks, and twelve weeks following IV BCG vaccination. All timepoints were prior to Mtb challenge.