TGF-β-mediated sustained ERK1/2 activity promotes the inhibition of intracellular growth of Mycobacterium avium in epithelioid cells surrogates.

ABSTRACT: Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases including infection with intracellular pathogens such as the Mycobacterium avium complex. Infection of macrophages with M. avium induces TGF-β production and neutralization of this cytokine has been associated with decreased intracellular bacterial growth. We have previously demonstrated that epithelioid cell surrogates (ECs) derived from primary murine peritoneal macrophages through a process of differentiation induced by IL-4 overlap several features of epithelioid cells found in granulomas. In contrast to undifferentiated macrophages, ECs produce larger amounts of TGF-β and inhibit the intracellular growth of M. avium. Here we asked whether the levels of TGF-β produced by ECs are sufficie

SUBMITTER: L'Abbate C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3120888 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature