AUTHOR=Bo Haotian , Moure Ulrich Aymard Ekomi , Yang Yuanmiao , Pan Jun , Li Li , Wang Miao , Ke Xiaoxue , Cui Hongjuan 

TITLE=Mycobacterium tuberculosis-macrophage interaction: Molecular updates

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1062963

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2023.1062963

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</italic> (Mtb), the causative agent of Tuberculosis (TB), remains a pathogen of great interest on a global scale. This airborne pathogen affects the lungs, where it interacts with macrophages. Acidic pH, oxidative and nitrosative stressors, and food restrictions make the macrophage’s internal milieu unfriendly to foreign bodies. Mtb subverts the host immune system and causes infection due to its genetic arsenal and secreted effector proteins. <italic>In vivo</italic> and <italic>in vitro</italic> research have examined Mtb-host macrophage interaction. This interaction is a crucial stage in Mtb infection because lung macrophages are the first immune cells Mtb encounters in the host. This review summarizes Mtb effectors that interact with macrophages. It also examines how macrophages control and eliminate Mtb and how Mtb manipulates macrophage defense mechanisms for its own survival. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.</p>