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Study Says TB Bacterium Uses Sugar Coat to Become Attractive to Lung Cells
Consequently, say the researchers, the lung cells absorb the TB bacteria, giving the infecting bacteria a place to live for the long term.
"The bug sugarcoats itself and creates this magical interaction that allows it to slip by the immune system. We think that this is a beautiful example of the concept of host adaptation," said Larry Schlesinger, professor of internal medicine and director of the division of infectious diseases at Ohio State.
"TB has evolved in humans. We're the reservoir. It has had centuries to develop a sophisticated way to deal with its encounter with the human, and the lung is the special portal of entry," the researcher added.
Schlesinger presented the findings on TB's adaptation to the human respiratory system on September 26 at the First International Congress "Mycobacteria: A Challenge for the 21st Century" in Bogota, Colombia.
He said that at the point of infection in the lung, TB bacteria are eaten by a macrophage, also called an antigen-presenting cell. The macrophage activates specific molecules that make pieces of the bacteria visible to infection-fighting T cells.
The innate response kicks in to fight any pathogen, but an acquired immune response is required to activate T cells that are specifically designed to help macrophages kill TB bacteria, he added.
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