Investigating defects in monocyte responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in HIV-TB co-infection
Institution: | University of Cape Town |
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Department: | |
Degree: | MS |
Year: | 2014 |
Keywords: | Medical Virology |
Record ID: | 1414399 |
Full text PDF: | http://uctscholar.uct.ac.za/PDF/175846_Thawer_NK.pdf |
Includes abstract. HIV-infected persons are more susceptible to TB, and the reasons for this are not fully understood. HIV infection leads to CD4+ T cell depletion, compromising adaptive immunity to M.tb, however less is known regarding the effect on innate immunity. Monocytes play a key role in innate immune defense and are the precursors of macrophages. These cells sense pathogens through toll-like receptors (TLR), which leads to the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, triggering innate and adaptive immune responses to infection, critical events for the control of M.tb. The aim of this study was to investigate whether HIV infection induced functional defects in monocytes, impairing their ability to respond to M.tb.