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Fluorescence Assays for the Study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Interaction with the Immune Receptor SLAMF1
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis Pili promote adhesion to and invasion of THP-1 macrophages

Saiyur Ramsugit1, Manormoney Pillay

  • 1Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases
|November 21, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Mycobacterium tuberculosis pili (MTP) act as novel adhesins and invasins, facilitating bacterial entry and survival within host macrophages. This study highlights MTP

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis involves macrophage interaction.
  • Bacterial adhesins and invasins mediating this interaction are poorly understood.
  • Pili are bacterial surface structures implicated in adhesion and invasion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Mycobacterium tuberculosis pili (MTP) in macrophage adhesion and invasion.
  • To identify MTP as a novel adhesin and invasin.

Main Methods:

  • Generated a Δmtp mutant and an mtp-complemented strain of M. tuberculosis.
  • Assessed bacterial adhesion to and invasion of THP-1 macrophages using colony-forming unit assays.
  • Compared the wild-type, mutant, and complemented strains.

Main Results:

  • The Δmtp mutant showed reduced adhesion (42.16%) and invasion (69.02%) of macrophages compared to the wild-type.
  • The pili-overexpressing complemented strain exhibited significantly higher adhesion (P = 0.000) and invasion (P = 0.040) than the mutant.
  • These findings suggest MTP's role in M. tuberculosis-macrophage interactions.

Conclusions:

  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis pili (MTP) function as novel adhesins and invasins.
  • MTP are crucial for M. tuberculosis adhesion to and invasion of host macrophages.
  • Targeting MTP could offer new therapeutic strategies against tuberculosis.

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