Regulation of Interferon-γ receptor (IFN-γR) expression in macrophages during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

Abstract: Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is a key cytokine that mediates immunity to tuberculosis (TB). Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) is known to downregulate the surface expression of IFN-γ receptor (IFN-γR) on macrophages and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with active TB disease. Many M. tb antigens also downmodulate IFN-γR levels in macrophages when compared with healthy controls. In the current study, we aimed at deciphering key factors involved in M. tb mediated downregulation of IFN-γR levels on macrophage surface. Our data showed that both M. tb H37Rv and M. bovis BCG infections mediate downmodulation of IFN-γR on human macrophages. This downmodulation is regulated at the level of TLR signaling pathway, second messengers such as calcium and cellular kinases i.e. PKC and ERK-MAPK, indicating that fine tuning of calcium response is critical to maintaining IFN-γR levels on macrophage surface. In addition, genes in the calcium and cysteine protease pathways which were previously identified by us to play a negative role during M. tb infection, also regulated IFN-γR expression. Thus, modulations in IFN-γR levels by utilizing host machinery may be a key immune suppressive strategy adopted by the TB pathogen to ensure its persistence and thwart host defense.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Regulation of Interferon-γ receptor (IFN-γR) expression in macrophages during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection ; volume:11 ; number:1 ; year:2020 ; pages:76-85 ; extent:10 ; Biomolecular concepts ; 11, Heft 1 (2020), 76-85 (gesamt 10)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Kak, Gunjan ; Tiwari, Brijendra K. ; Singh, Yogendra ; Natarajan, Krishnamurthy

Further information

• DOI: 10.1515/bmc-2020-0006
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2409241640461.096686938397
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:33 AM CEST