The interaction between Mycobacteria and host cells involved in the immune response have evolved during tens of thousands of years to a battle between bacterial survival strategies vs the immune defense. Over 170 species of Mycobacterium can be pathogenic, opportunistic or avirulent; the immune response against each one of them is unique. Mycobacterial diseases, like leprosy and tuberculosis, two of the oldest infectious diseases affecting humans, continue to be a public health problem around the world. Leprosy is still reported in more than 150 countries; however, it remains to be difficult to grow and genetically manipulate M. leprae or M. lepromatosis in vitro, making the study of the early interaction between the bacteria and host cells very challenging. Tuberculosis (TB), kills more than a million of people worldwide every year. As today, scientists around the world are trying to develop more effective vaccines than BCG and new therapeutics to fight the emergence of multidrug and extensively drug-resistant TB. The prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) diseases are also increasing worldwide, particularly in industrialized countries. Currently, more than 120 NTM species have been reported; both rapidly and slow growing NTMs are implicated in pulmonary and extrapulmonary infections in immunocompromised and immunocompetent persons. There are many challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and vaccines against mycobacterial diseases.

Success in establishing a mycobacterial infection depends on the ability of the bacteria to subvert the host cells defense mechanisms and also the ability to survive and proliferate inside the host cell. To survive, mycobacteria produce virulence factors that enhance adherence and invasion, as well as modulate the cascades of host cell signaling and trafficking. Understanding of mycobacteria-host cell interaction, immunological properties, and defensive mechanisms will provide development of better preventives and therapeutics against TB, leprosy, and NTM diseases.

Our Research Topic highlights recent advances in mycobacteria-host cell interaction studies, including cellular and molecular targets of mycobacterial diseases, mycobacteria-mediated cell death mechanisms, host cell factors/pathways that act on mycobacteria to contain the infection, and immune evasion mechanisms utilized by mycobacteria. Understanding of the mechanisms of mycobacteria-host interaction at the cellular level will contribute crucial insights into the development of mycobacterial diseases new treatments and vaccines.

We welcome submissions of original research and review articles covering on the following principal aspects:
• Host immune responses and mechanisms to control infection with M. leprae, M. lepromatosis, M. ulcerans, M. tuberculosis and other non-tuberculous mycobacteria
• Mycobacterial strategies and mechanisms used to escape or evade host defense system
• Activation of antimicrobial signaling pathways: the role of autophagy and antimicrobial peptides against mycobacterial infection.
• Cytosolic pathogen recognition pathways and inflammasome activation in response to mycobacteria
• Epigenetics related to immune protection or pathogenesis during mycobacterial diseases
• Immunometabolism crosstalks with host defense in mycobacterial infections

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Frontiers in Immunology

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