Microscopic View of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. Acid Fast stain. Unique 1 of 1 slide. Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major health threat, killing near to 2 million individuals around this globe, annually. The sole vaccine developed almost a century ago, provides limited protection only during childhood. After decades without the introduction of new antibiotics, several candidates are currently undergoing clinical investigation.
Curing TB requires prolonged combination chemotherapy with several drugs. Moreover, monitoring the success of therapy is questionable due to the lack of reliable biomarkers. To substantially improve the situation, a detailed understanding of the crosstalk between the human host and the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is vital.
Principally, Mtb’s enormous success is based on three capacities: First, reprogramming of macrophages after primary infection/phagocytosis in order to prevent its own destruction; second, initiating the formation of well-organized granulomas, comprising different immune cells to create a confined environment for the host-pathogen standoff; third, the capability to shut down its own central metabolism, terminate replication and thereby transit into a stage of dormancy rendering itself extremely resistant to host defense and drug treatment.
Here we review the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, draw conclusions in a working model of mycobacterial dormancy, and highlight gaps in our understanding to be addressed in future research.
