For the top-20 down-regulated DEPs (Figure 2B; Table S3), nine of 11 shared DEPs in the two groups were involved in metabolism and antioxidant stress (Q53H26, B4DF70, CA1, APOA1, S100A4, LTF, AK1, B2RAN2 and S100A6), demonstrating decreased metabolism and antioxidant capacity in TB patients. The gene discussed is AK1; the disease is tuberculosis.