Role of Interferons in <em>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</em> Infection

• Published in: Clinics and Practice
• Main Authors: Gaithrri Shanmuganathan, Davit Orujyan, William Narinyan, Nicole Poladian, Sanya Dhama, Arpitha Parthasarathy, Alexandra Ha, Daniel Tran, Prathosh Velpuri, Kevin H. Nguyen, Vishwanath Venketaraman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2022-09-01
• Subjects: type I IFN; type II IFN; type III IFN; M. tb; IFN-α; IFN-γ
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2039-7283/12/5/82

Considerable measures have been implemented in healthcare institutions to screen for and treat tuberculosis (TB) in developed countries; however, in low- and middle-income countries, many individuals still suffer from TB’s deleterious effects. TB is caused by an infection from the <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> (<i>M. tb</i>) bacteria. Symptoms of TB may range from an asymptomatic latent-phase affecting the pulmonary tract to a devastating active and disseminated stage that can cause central nervous system demise, musculoskeletal impairments, and genitourinary compromise. Following <i>M. tb</i> infection, cytokines such as interferons (IFNs) are released as part of the host immune response. Three main classes of IFNs prevalent during the immune defense include: type I IFN (α and β), type II IFN (IFN-γ), and type III IFN (IFN-λ). The current literature reports that type I IFN plays a role in diminishing the host defense against <i>M. tb</i> by attenuating T-cell activation. In opposition, T-cell activation drives type II IFN release, which is the primary cytokine mediating protection from <i>M. tb</i> by stimulating macrophages and their oxidative defense mechanisms. Type III IFN has a subsidiary part in improving the Th1 response for host cell protection against <i>M. tb</i>. Based on the current evidence available, our group aims to summarize the role that each IFN serves in TB within this literature review.