Abstract

MENDEZ-LOPEZ, María Victoria. Mycobacterium tuberculosis genes and virulence determinants that contribute to the immune response evasion. Vaccimonitor [online]. 2020, vol.29, n.2, pp. 82-92.  Epub Aug 01, 2020. ISSN 1025-0298.

Pulmonary tuberculosis is a public health problem worldwide. The World Health Organization in 2018 reported about 10 million patients and 1.5 million deaths. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, an intracellular pathogen, is the causative agent of the disease. Experimental virulence studies have allowed to determine a set of virulence genes that confer the ability to resist the hostile environment in the macrophage, overcome the activity of the immune response and persist in the host. The objective of the publication is to present a review of the last 20 years investigations that have shown the genes or virulence factors of M. tuberculosis that contribute to the evasion of the immune response. According to the results of the investigations, there are multiple virulence factors and genes that participate in the evasion of the innate immune response such as ESAT-6, PknG, PhoP, ManLAM, SapM, katG, tpx, nuoG, sodA/secA2, pknE and Rv3654c/Rv3655c, while there are elements capable of modulating the adaptive immune response. The understanding of the interaction between the virulence genes and the activity of the immune system, are important to study new diagnostic methods, the design of new vaccines and therefore, to improve the control, prevention and treatment measures of tuberculosis.

Keywords : Mycobacterium tuberculosis; virulence; virulence factors; immunology.

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