Title:M. tuberculosis adaptation to macrophages in the human respiratory system: a role for microRNAs

Presenter: Larry S. Schlesinger M.D.

University: Department of Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University

Time: 9:30-10:30, 27 September, 2011

Venue: A203, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Abstract: Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes an air-borne infection and has the ability to subvert host innate immune responses to survive within macrophages, particularly in the lung microenvironment. It does this in part by using its cell wall mannosylated components to regulate host cell signaling molecules and transcription factors required for the production of inflammatory mediators. Recently, microRNAs (miRNA) have emerged as important regulators of a variety of biological processes in both health and disease. We have found that a number of miRNAs are differentially expressed in human macrophages in response to M. tb infection, some of which control the host cell immune response. Thus our research is providing evidence for a previously unexplored and important role of miRNAs in regulating the innate immune response to M. tb.