Open AccessEffect of mycobacterial secretory proteins on the cellular integrity and cytokine profile of type II alveolar epithelial cells
Author(s) -
Nidhi Adlakha,
Pooja Vir,
Indu Verma
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
lung india
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.457
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 0974-598X
pISSN - 0970-2113
DOI - 10.4103/0970-2113.102796
Subject(s) - medicine , cytokine , secretory protein , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , secretion , biology
Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb). In lungs, alveolar macrophages and type II alveolar epithelial cells serve as a replicative niche for this pathogen. Secretory proteins released by actively replicating tubercle bacilli are known to interact with host cells at the initial stages of infection. To understand the role of these cells in TB pathogenesis, it is important to identify the mycobacterial components involved in interaction with alveolar epithelial cells.