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SLeuthing Tuberculous Cough

Marcel A Behr1, Paul H Edelstein2, Lalita Ramakrishnan3

  • 1Department of Medicine, McGill University, McGill International TB Centre, Montreal H4A 3J1, Canada.

Cell
|April 18, 2020
PubMed

Insights

A tuberculosis-specific lipid, SL-1, stimulates cough-inducing neurons in humans and guinea pigs. Mycobacterium tuberculosis extracts also activate other neurons involved in the cough reflex, indicating complex mechanisms.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Cough is a primary symptom and transmission route for tuberculosis (TB).
  • The neural mechanisms underlying TB-induced cough are not fully understood.
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the causative agent of TB.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Mtb-specific lipids in stimulating cough-related neurons.
  • To identify neural pathways activated by Mtb components contributing to the cough reflex.

Main Methods:

  • Electrophysiological recordings from human nociceptive neurons.
  • Cough induction assays in guinea pig models.
  • Stimulation with Mtb-specific lipid SL-1 and Mtb extracts.

Main Results:

  • The Mtb-specific lipid SL-1 directly stimulates human nociceptive neurons.
  • SL-1 administration induced coughing in guinea pigs.
  • Mtb extracts stimulated both nociceptive and non-nociceptive neurons involved in the cough reflex.

Conclusions:

  • Mtb lipid SL-1 is a key mediator of TB-induced cough by activating nociceptive neurons.
  • Additional Mtb components activate other neural pathways, suggesting multifaceted mechanisms in TB-related cough.

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