Lung disease-causing bacteria live on red blood cells

Mycobacteria are a group of pathogenic bacteria that cause diseases such as leprosy and tuberculosis in humans

The new study, published March 16 in the journal Microbiology Spectrum, sheds light on mycobacterial interactions with red blood cells and their role in lung disease

The discovery of mycobacteria

In 1882, German physician Robert Koch isolated the causative agent of tuberculosis, a bacterium that was later named Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other mycobacteria associated with lung disease are now known to live in macrophages, which are white blood cells that engulf and kill pathogens

Although red blood cells are also found in the sputum of patients with tuberculosis, their role in disease progression has not been specifically studied

Study the role of red blood cells

The scientists obtained lung tissue samples from five mice infected with two types of mycobacteria, M.

To assess the relationship of mycobacteria to human red blood cells, the researchers monitored the growth of mycobacteria with and without blood cells

Furthermore, the study found that mycobacteria often target macrophages as parasitic hosts, which preferentially phagocytose MAH-attached erythrocytes

impact on human health

The findings show that pathogenic mycobacteria attach to human red blood cells and then use this relationship to reproduce

While red blood cells are best known for transporting oxygen between the lungs and tissues, they also play two roles in mycobacterial infections

How these effects work may determine the outcome of the infection

next step

The authors of the study wanted to find the adhesion factors on the mycobacteria that allow them to stick to red blood cells