Role of NK Cells in Tuberculous Pleurisy as Innate Promoters of Local Type Immunity with Potential Application on Differential Diagnosis

SCHIERLOH P; DE LA BARRERA S; SASIAIN M

Understanding Tuberculosis. Analyzing the Origin of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Pathogenicity

InTech Open Access company

Lugar: Rijeka; Año: 2012; p. 297 - 312

Tuberculous pleurisy, one common extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis among the young adults, is characterized by strong delayed type hypersensitivity reaction mediated by IFN-γ producing lymphocytes. Our recent data demonstrate that a substantial part of these effectors cells are indeed Natural Killers (NK) cells. Herein, we will discus phenotypic and functional features of this local innate immune cell population and the factors involved in its regulation. Finally, we evaluate potentiality for practical application of IFN-γ+ NK in differential diagnosis of pleural effusions in a setting of high mycobacterium antigen (Ag) exposed cohort.