INTERPLAY BETWEEN MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM SEROVAR-SPECIFIC GLYCOPEPTIDOLIPIDS AND P38 MAPKS IN TNF-α EXPRESSION

Among patients with end-stage AIDS, disseminated infection with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is the most common bacterial infection. The virulence and intrinsic multidrug resistance of this pathogen has been attributed in part to its unique cell wall which is made up, in part, of serovar-specif...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science 2011-01, Vol.85 (1), p.31-34
Main Author: IRANI, VIDA R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria
BIOLOGY
Cytokines
Infections
Macrophages
Mice
Microbiology
Mycobacterium avium
Mycobacterium avium complex
Pathogens
Viability
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Summary:Among patients with end-stage AIDS, disseminated infection with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is the most common bacterial infection. The virulence and intrinsic multidrug resistance of this pathogen has been attributed in part to its unique cell wall which is made up, in part, of serovar-specific glycopeptidolipids (ssGPL) found only in MAC. MAC is an intramacrophage opportunistic pathogen, thus the macrophage (mφ) response to MAC infection via cytokine and mitogen activated protein kinase and disease treatment. Our results show that host mφ TNF-α induction is GPL-dependent and that the wild type (wt) parent and serovar-8 null M. avium strains behaved differently when the p38 MAPKs were blocked and TNF-α and bacterial viability were measured. Studies focused on M . avium ssGPL and its modulation of the host signal transduction pathways could lead to treatment of this insidious disease.
ISSN:1044-6753
2475-1898