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Tuberculosis-Associated MicroRNAs: From Pathogenesis to Disease Biomarkers

Alessandro Sinigaglia1, Elektra Peta1, Silvia Riccetti1

  • 1Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy.

Cells
|September 29, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Tuberculosis (TB) involves Mycobacterium tuberculosis evading the immune system using microRNAs (miRNAs). These miRNAs are key to disease progression and could serve as biomarkers for TB diagnosis and treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Microbiology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a major global health threat, responsible for millions of deaths annually.
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis possesses sophisticated mechanisms to evade host immune responses, facilitating its intracellular survival and persistence.
  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating immune responses against M. tuberculosis, and their dysregulation is implicated in TB pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of miRNAs in tuberculosis pathogenesis.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which miRNAs modulate host antimicrobial responses during TB.
  • To identify potential miRNA biomarkers for TB diagnosis, disease progression, and treatment response.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of studies investigating miRNAs in the context of TB.
  • Analysis of miRNA expression patterns in active TB, latent TB infection (LTBI), and treated TB.
  • Examination of the functional roles of specific miRNAs in host-pathogen interactions.

Main Results:

  • MicroRNAs are significantly involved in subverting host immune responses against M. tuberculosis.
  • Differential expression of specific miRNAs is observed between active TB, LTBI, and treated TB.
  • Certain miRNAs show potential as biomarkers for disease status and therapeutic monitoring.

Conclusions:

  • MicroRNAs are critical regulators of the host immune response to M. tuberculosis infection.
  • Dysregulated miRNA expression is a hallmark of TB pathogenesis.
  • Candidate miRNAs identified in this review hold promise as non-invasive biomarkers for TB management.
Keywords:
apoptosisautophagybiomarkerdiagnosisdisease progressioninnate immunitylatent infectionmicroRNApathogenesisresponse to therapytuberculosis

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