The role of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strain on apoptosis and necroptosis state of macrophages derived from active pulmonary tuberculosis patients
Abstract Objective The role of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) strain in tuberculosis (TB) infection in human is still questioned. The aim of this study was to determine whether MTBC strain is associated with apoptosis and necroptosis by measuring the expression of specific signaling pathways components (Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) and receptor interacting protein 3 (RIP3)), as well as the level of apoptosis. Results We recruited 24 TB patients infected with M. tuberculosis Beijing strain and six patients with M. bovis BCG strain. Data indicated that those who infected with M. tuberculosis were more frequent to have severe lung damage than M. bovis (odds ratio [OR]: 7.60; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-54.09). M. tuberculosis infection was also associated with lower expression of FADD and lower apoptosis level of macrophage cells compared to M. bovis . No significant different of RIP3 between strain groups. In conclusion, M. tuberculosis Beijing strain is associated with severe pulmonary damage, inhibits FADD expression and reduces apoptosis level in macrophages derived from TB. This suggests that MTBC strain potentially be used as determinant of progressivity of disease and tissue damage in TB cases.