Infection of monocytes from tuberculosis patients with two virulent clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis induces alterations in myeloid effector functions.

Monocytes play a critical role during infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). They are recruited to the lung where they participate in the contention of infection. Alternatively, inflammatory monocytes may help in prolonging inflammation or serve as niches for Mtb infection. Also, monocyte response to infection may vary depending on the particularities of the clinical isolate of Mtb from which they are infected. In this pilot study, using microarrays we have examined the global mRNA profiles of circulating human monocytes from healthy individuals and patients with active tuberculosis (TB). Total RNA obtained from monocytes from TB patients infected with clinical isolates of Mtb to compared to monocytes from healthy control subjects.