Arginase-1 expression in granulomas of tuberculosis patients

AP Pessanha, RAP Martins… - FEMS Immunology & …, 2012 - academic.oup.com
AP Pessanha, RAP Martins, AL Mattos-Guaraldi, A Vianna, LO Moreira
FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology, 2012academic.oup.com
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is an intracellular pathogen able to survive and multiply
within macrophages. Several mechanisms allow this bacterium to escape macrophage
microbicidal activity. Mtb may interfere with the ability of mouse macrophages to produce
antibactericidal nitric oxide, by inducing the expression of arginase 1 (Arg1). It remains
unclear whether this pathway has a role in humans infected with Mtb. In this study, we
investigated the expression of Arg1 in granulomas of human lung tissues from patients with …
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is an intracellular pathogen able to survive and multiply within macrophages. Several mechanisms allow this bacterium to escape macrophage microbicidal activity. Mtb may interfere with the ability of mouse macrophages to produce antibactericidal nitric oxide, by inducing the expression of arginase 1 (Arg1). It remains unclear whether this pathway has a role in humans infected with Mtb. In this study, we investigated the expression of Arg1 in granulomas of human lung tissues from patients with tuberculosis. We show that Arg1 is expressed not only in granuloma-associated macrophages, but also in type II pneumocytes.
Oxford University Press