AUTHOR=Cardona Paula , Cardona Pere-Joan 

TITLE=Regulatory T Cells in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2019.02139

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2019.02139

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>Anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells have lately attracted attention as part of the immune response to <italic>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</italic> infection, where they counterbalance the protective but pro-inflammatory immune response mediated by Th17 cells and especially by the better-known Th1 cells. In chronic infectious diseases there is a delicate balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory responses. While Th1 and Th17 are needed in order to control infection by <italic>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</italic>, the inflammatory onset can ultimately become detrimental for the host. In this review, we assess current information on the controversy over whether counterbalancing regulatory T cells are promoting pathogen growth or protecting the host.</p>