300-TZFG

This cohort comprises 323 healthy individuals (159 males, 164 females) aged 18–65 years, residing in the Kilimanjaro region of Northern Tanzania.

Enrollment was done between March-December 2017, from both urban and rural zones, with a higher number from urban zones to correct for the higher genetic diversity.

In this cohort, the available data are as follows:

• – Demographics and health- and diet-related information
• – Cytokine production upon incubation with various viral, fungal and bacterial stimuli
• – Metabolomics
• – Proteomics
• – Genotyping

This study was approved by the ethical committees of Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (2443) and the National Institute for Medical Research in Tanzania (NIMR/HQ/R.8a/Vol.IX/2290 and NIMR/HQ/R.8a/Vol.IX/3318).

Selected Publications

Amour, C., Cetatean, R., Ponce, I. R., Keur, N., Temba, G. S., Kullaya, V. I., Mmbaga, B. T., Kavishe, R., Joosten, L. A. B., Netea, M. G., de Mast, Q., Boahen, C. K., & Kumar, V. (2026). Sex-stratified genetic regulators of cytokine production in the Dutch and Tanzanian populations. HGG advances, 7(2), 100593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xhgg.2026.100593

Bulut, O., Temba, G. S., Koeken, V. A. C. M., Moorlag, S. J. C. F. M., de Bree, L. C. J., Mourits, V. P., Kullaya, V. I., Jaeger, M., Qi, C., Riksen, N. P., Domínguez-Andrés, J., Xu, C. J., Joosten, L. A. B., Li, Y., de Mast, Q., & Netea, M. G. (2024). Common and distinct metabolomic markers related to immune aging in Western European and East African populations. Mechanisms of ageing and development, 218, 111916. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2024.111916

Temba, G. S., Vadaq, N., Kullaya, V., Pecht, T., Lionetti, P., Cavalieri, D., Schultze, J. L., Kavishe, R., Joosten, L. A. B., van der Ven, A. J., Mmbaga, B. T., Netea, M. G., & de Mast, Q. (2023). Differences in the inflammatory proteome of East African and Western European adults and associations with environmental and dietary factors. eLife, 12, e82297. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.82297

Boahen, C. K., Temba, G. S., Kullaya, V. I., Matzaraki, V., Joosten, L. A. B., Kibiki, G., Mmbaga, B. T., van der Ven, A., de Mast, Q., Netea, M. G., & Kumar, V. (2022). A functional genomics approach in Tanzanian population identifies distinct genetic regulators of cytokine production compared to European population. American journal of human genetics, 109(3), 471–485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.01.014

Temba, G. S., Vadaq, N., Wan, J., Kullaya, V., Huskens, D., Pecht, T., Jaeger, M., Boahen, C. K., Matzaraki, V., Broeders, W., Joosten, L. A. B., Faradz, S. M. H., Kibiki, G., Middeldorp, S., Cavalieri, D., Lionetti, P., de Groot, P. G., Schultze, J. L., Netea, M. G., Kumar, V., … de Mast, Q. (2022). Differences in thrombin and plasmin generation potential between East African and Western European adults: The role of genetic and non-genetic factors. Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH, 20(5), 1089–1105. https://doi.org/10.1111/jth.15657

Temba, G. S., Kullaya, V., Pecht, T., Mmbaga, B. T., Aschenbrenner, A. C., Ulas, T., Kibiki, G., Lyamuya, F., Boahen, C. K., Kumar, V., Joosten, L. A. B., Schultze, J. L., van der Ven, A. J., Netea, M. G., & de Mast, Q. (2021). Urban living in healthy Tanzanians is associated with an inflammatory status driven by dietary and metabolic changes. Nature immunology, 22(3), 287–300. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-021-00867-8

Stražar, M., Temba, G. S., Vlamakis, H., Kullaya, V. I., Lyamuya, F., Mmbaga, B. T., Joosten, L. A. B., van der Ven, A. J. A. M., Netea, M. G., de Mast, Q., & Xavier, R. J. (2021). Gut microbiome-mediated metabolism effects on immunity in rural and urban African populations. Nature communications, 12(1), 4845. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25213-2