Problem statement: Tuberculosis is a leading global mortality factor which has not been effectively controlled, with 1.7 million deaths per year and 8.9 million new cases. Aerobic microbe Mycobacterium Tuberculosis H37Rv (MTB) is the causative agent of tuberculosis. Approach: It is unique among prokaryotes due to its exceptional features contributing to its survival within the hostile environme...

The production of IL-1β during the infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is important for successful host immune defense. In macrophages and dendritic cells the host cell inflammasome is crucial for generation of secreted IL-1β in response to Mtb infections. In these cell types Mtb infection only activates the NLRP3-inflammasome. New reports demonstrate that nitric oxide has an import...

Abstract Central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS-TB) is the most dangerous form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. However, current understanding infectious mechanisms and anti-mycobacterial immunity within brain parenchyma limited due to absence an ideal human CNS-TB model. In this study, we developed a novel in vitro model for study by infecting 3D neural organoids 2D progenitor cells (NPC) wit...

OBJECTIVE Infection by MTB or exposure to MTB constituents is associated with intense microbial stimulation of the immune system, through both antigenic and TLR components, and induction of a milieu that is rich in pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines. Here, we addressed the basis of induced regulatory T-cell (iT-reg) expansion in response to MTB stimulation, in the absence of prior T c...

BACKGROUND Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is important for host resistance against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infections. The response of the dendritic cell inflammasome during Mtb infections has not been investigated in detail. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Here we show that Mtb infection of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) induces IL-1β secretion and that this induction is depende...

Downregulation of host gene expression is one of the many strategies employed by intracellular pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) to survive inside the macrophages and cause disease. The underlying molecular mechanism behind the downregulation of host defense gene expression is largely unknown. In this study we explored the role of histone deacetylation in macrophages in respons...

Infection and transmission of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-Mtb) and extensively drug-resistant M. tuberculosis (XDR-Mtb) is a serious health problem. We analyzed a total of 1,110 Mtb isolates in Osaka Prefecture and neighboring areas from April 2000 to March 2009. A total of 89 MDR-Mtb were identified, 36 (48.5%) of which were determined to be XDR-Mtb. Among the 89 MDR-Mt...

With interest, we read the paper “Integrating the Xpert MTB/ RIF Assay into a Diagnostic Workflow for Rapid Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a Low-Prevalence Area” by Deggim et al. (1). Based on the failed detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) by the Xpert assay (GeneXpert; Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA) in 3 of 4 culture-positive nonrespiratory specimens, the authors conclud...

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) survives under oxidatively hostile environments encountered inside host phagocytes. To protect itself from oxidative stress, Mtb produces millimolar concentrations of mycothiol (MSH), which functions as a major cytoplasmic redox buffer. Here, we introduce a novel system for real-time imaging of mycothiol redox potential (EMSH ) within Mtb cells during infection....

BACKGROUND Depletion of T cells following infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) impairs disease resolution, and interferes with clinical test performance that relies on cell-mediated immunity. A number of mechanisms contribute to this T cell suppression, such as activation-induced death and trafficking of T cells out of the peripheral circulation and into the diseased lungs. The extent ...